Hunger
by tsusami
Summary: Gaara had lived long enough to know about the sometimes unexplainable things in the world; creatures like himself that shouldn't have existed, but did. AU. vampire!Gaara. NaruGaara.
1. Air of the Dog

This is rather a large departure from my usual type of story. I don't usually write supernatural type tales, but here goes nothing. :)

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**Hunger **

**'Air of the Dog**

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The coppery tang burst along his tongue, his lips working to contain the gush of blood pulsing in rhythm with the fluttering of a human heart. Gaara swallowed it down in gulps, feeling its warmth travel down his body and easing the chill gnawing at him from inside. The woman's dark lashes fluttered like a hummingbird's wings, her pale skin almost translucent in the moonlight. Her mouth fell open, throat choking down the innate desire to scream. Gaara clung to her as his mouth sucked greedily, tongue lapping the torn skin.

Slowly, the fight began to leave her. The fingers gripping his arm had no strength, her knees bending toward the earth. Gaara held her tight against him and shivered, feeling his strength returning. Brushing a lock of her dark hair aside, he rubbed his thumb along her slender neck almost endearingly as he stole the life out of her. He lost himself in the rhythm of that pulse against him, his ears drumming with the small whimpers of her dying voice.

She could still make it, he realized; if he left her now. If he healed the wound and let her go, she would be weak, but she would not be another body in the ground. He paused then as her life nearly dwindled. Licking his lips he caressed her pale cheek and wondered if she had a lover, or a brother, or anyone who would miss her. Not that it mattered. It never mattered.

The leaves rustled, startling him out of his thoughts. His hunger assuaged, awareness prickled along his spine and for the first time he became conscious of the forest breathing, watching him with its many eyes.

He whipped his head around searching the darkness for its creatures, for the glow of eyes reflected in the moonlight. His victim moaned softly, fingers curling against nothing while her eyes gazed blankly into the dark. The blood seeping from the wound had slowed into a trickle, a thin stream sliding down her neck. He could smell nothing but the human scent of her body; the copper tang of her blood mixed with the earth. So absorbed had he been in the allure of his victim he had forgotten that the forest was host to more dangerous beings. Her blood would beckon more than himself.

He gathered the limp body against him. The folds of her skirt dragged along the dirt as he stepped back away from this well-lit place. There was too much moonlight. He was too visible, too exposed; and though he could detect no other human for miles around, the glow peering at him from the darkness was unmistakable. The intelligence in those red eyes was almost human.

Gaara bared his fangs and hissed; a warning that he was stronger and had it been animal, it would have been smart enough to flee. The red glow stayed fixed on his form.

A large paw emerged in the light of the moon. An orange-red deep enough even in moonlight to remind him of sunset. A fox larger than any fox he had ever seen emerged from the shadows. It moved into the light and sat back on its haunches, eyes locked on Gaara's in challenge.

Gaara had lived long enough to know about the sometimes unexplainable things in the world; creatures like himself that shouldn't have existed, but did. He kept his eyes locked on this being and slowly lowered the woman to the ground. The leaves rustled beneath her body. She let out a small moan though her eyes were closed. The fox lifted his paw as though gesturing to her, as though asking for her to be left behind.

A childhood story rose to the surface of his memory. A tale of spirits, physical embodiments of the land. There were some that demanded sacrifices. There were some who whisked mortals into the forest and never let them go. The woman he had chosen was beautiful. And though damaged, she was still alive.

Unsure of the power of the spirit before him, Gaara raised his hands to show he was free of her. He detected no maliciousness from the other creature and Gaara desired no fight where none was necessary. He backed away slowly and the fox watched him. The large creature rose to his feet and padded across the brush soundlessly. He lowered his head and sniffed the wound at the girl's neck. Leaving him this sacrifice, Gaara quietly turned and slipped away.

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He was being followed. Though he could not see his pursuer, he felt the distinct sense of being watched. An invisible presence lurked in his consciousness since the moment he woke up in the abandoned cabin. He picked up speed, traveling through the forest faster than was advisable. Whatever pursued him was not human, nor was it his own kind. He was unfamiliar with this land and he did not care to find out what local inhabitants his presence had provoked.

Lights blinked in the distance, only a pinprick of light penetrating the dark foliage. His ears picked up the distant rush of wheels as a car sped by on a paved road. He slowed his pace and listened closely, moved silently toward the road. Another car appeared and he followed the lights. Whoever or whatever followed kept its distance.

A neon sign blinked like a beacon shining in the dark. A dog wagged its tail just above the letters "air of the dog." He presumed the H was out. A few cars were parked on the loose gravel outside the small establishment. Someone stood in the doorway, a female silhouette haloed in light. Her head turned as though she was looking out into the forest, searching for something. Gaara stayed in the shadows and waited for her to retreat back inside before making himself visible.

His hands brushed along the sleeves of his black coat. He dusted off dried leaves and twigs, hoping no one would notice the smell. The shirt underneath was stiff with dry blood and he was thankful for the autumn chill. He buttoned his coat up to his neck and removed another twig caught in the wool. Hands in his pockets, he stepped out onto the gravel and tried to appear unassuming as he entered the bar.

A woman with short, spiky brown hair nodded to him as he entered. Her dark eyes narrowed at him suspiciously even as she waved her hand to gesture to the tables. There was an energy about her, an intensity that stood out among the patrons. He had felt this energy before.

She wasn't human.

His first impulse was to step backward, to exit out the door from which he just came. But the other patrons had turned to see the newcomer and so Gaara kept his head down as he ducked into the corner. He seated himself at a small table, back to the wall and facing the door. He glanced around as he picked up the menu and pretended to look over the contents.

A man with a long mane of white hair sat the bar. He smiled and teased the young woman next to him. She look unamused but was patient with his advances. A young woman with dark hair pulled up in a pony tail bussed tables. She had the same dark eyes, the same roiling energy coming off of her. She gave him a cursory glance and her lip slid up, revealing a large canine. She shook her head as though laughing to herself. Gaara tried not to panic as he realized he had waltzed straight into shifter territory. And not just a territory, but a pack.

If he could manage to keep his head down, they might let him pass without attacking. He was alone, and he was not being aggressive. If they were generous, they might overlook his trespassing. But these two were female and already he could feel them watching him closely. He searched the scant few patrons in the bar, but none of them exuded the same energy. None of them seemed to notice that anything was wrong.

The female waitress approached. She didn't touch the notepad hanging in her apron. By human standards she was pretty. Had she been human, he might have attempted to lure her out. Gaara was grateful for his meal the night before.

"You look a little young to be in here," the waitress smiled. "Can I get you a soda? A glass of milk perhaps?" The playfulness in her voice was too obvious. Gaara swallowed his pride and did not rise to the bait.

"Cranberry juice, please. Or if you tell me how to get to the nearest town, I'll be out of your hair before you notice." He met her eyes, let his expression convey his sincerity. He didn't try to glamour her and the change in her expression, the set of her mouth, let him know she understood the message.

"Which way are you headed?" she asked cautiously.

"North," he said. She nodded and her feet began moving toward the counter. The woman at the bar watched curiously. Their dark heads bent close and a hurried exchange of whispers took place. The bartender nodded and the younger girl disappeared into the back. The man with the white hair called for another drink and the bartender smiled at him as she pulled his glass forward.

The door opened and two men walked in. Both young, twenty-somethings. One with the same spiky dark hair as the others, the same harsh energy pulsing around his body. He looked in Gaara's corner immediately and the vampire tensed, ready to strike should the other feel the need to attack.

The man next to him threw an arm around his shoulder and laughed at something while ushering him to the bar. He was tall, solidly built with bright yellow hair and skin dark enough to show that he spent a fair amount of time outdoors. Energy hummed around him but it didn't match the same pattern as the bar owners. There was something different, something off about him. There was something eerily familiar.

The two young men slid onto bar stools and chatted with the bartender. The blond leaned his elbows against the counter and gestured forward with one finger. He glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the tables and when his eyes fell on Gaara he smiled and gave a friendly nod. His companion shot dirty looks, though he made no move to approach him. Gaara looked away and hoped the waitress would come back out soon.

When the waitress returned she stopped by the counter first. She held a small conference with the rest of the party and a few looks were sent his way. It was the blond who slid off the stool and grabbed two drinks off the counter. He slowly approached Gaara, smiling the entire way.

Two heavy glasses were set on the table. The wooden legs of the chair scraped against the floor and the other man sank into the chair like it was leather and not the unyielding wood that dug into his back. From this position, he appeared less intimidating. Slouched in the chair he picked up his drink and knocked back the glass. He looked at the other glass expectantly and Gaara, realizing he was waiting for him to drink it, felt his stomach lurch at the idea.

He picked it up and let the liquid wet his lips, careful not to let any enter his mouth.

"You're not from around here," the young man said jovially.

"I'm passing through," Gaara said, setting the glass back down on the table. "I stopped for directions."

The young man paused and his smile turned contemplative. He took another drink from his cup. Gaara tried not to squirm under his gaze. Something about it felt too familiar. He wondered if this was his stalker in the woods. But this energy was different. Not quite the vibrant energy from the other shifters. Something muted, unnoticeable to anyone not looking.

"That's a shame," he said with a slow shake of his head. "We've got a tight knit community here. The type where we all know each other... watch each other's backs." The smile no longer touched his eyes. There was an edge in his voice that made Gaara want to throw up the table and bolt for the door. He imagined fleeing, but there was only one entrance and three of them watching him from the bar. He would never make it in time.

"What do you want?" Gaara said testily.

"Just curious about the new guy," the other man said. "Thought we could have a chat before you high tail out of here." He rummaged in his back pocket and pulled out a wallet. He flipped it open and pulled out a worn photo. He slid it carefully across the table. Gaara looked down at a photo of a young woman with pale skin, light eyes and long, straight black hair. She was smiling demurely into the camera, her hands holding a bouquet of flowers. Dread filled the pit of his stomach.

"My buddy Kiba is pretty upset tonight. His girlfriend was attacked by a wild animal last night. Poor girl was found half dead in the woods. Cops can't figure out what happened. We tried asking her when she woke up, but the whole night is a blank. You didn't happen to see anything last night, did you? While you were out there on the road?"

The blue eyes watched him very carefully. All hints of mirth had left his expression despite the light inflection in his voice. Gaara shot a look at the young man drumming his fingers against the counter, at the two women who all watched him like hungry wolves. A moment of carelessness had jeopardized everything. Had he not waited so long to feed he might have stopped himself. Had he not been wild with hunger...

"I stopped by a large house last night when I got lost on the road. That young woman answered the door. She invited me in," he paused. "I was starving." He looked up and met the blue eyes sharp with understanding. The tension in his face eased somewhat. Grief, sympathy maybe, pity for the girl he nearly killed last night. A type of horror perhaps that he had treated her generosity with near death. He remembered her terror when he dragged her into the woods and realized he would be lucky if he escaped with his life.

A cold sort of determination took over the other man. He snatched the photo back with barely contained anger. His face struggled to maintain his friendly facade. Scooting his chair closer he leaned in so his face was not visible to the others and his voice would not reach prying ears.

"Hinata was like a sister to me. And if you had known her..." he broke off and rubbed a hand through his hair. His jaw clenched with anger and three thin scars on his cheek seemed to grow sharper. They seemed to stand out like lines against his skin as though he had grown paler. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly. He exhaled and when he opened his eyes again, the illusion was gone.

"He can smell her blood on your clothes. Right now the only thing standing between you and Kiba's claws is me. So if you want to escape with your life, you will help me. You will do as I say until I am content or you will have every member of the Inuzuka pack hunting you down."

Gaara wanted to curse his bad fortune. He wanted to strike out and assert his dominance. He was not some pitiful vampire to be pushed around by shifters. The struggle would be difficult, but if he took them by surprise, he might survive.

Without warning, a hand gripped his wrist painfully. His touch was warm, too warm for comfort and Gaara should have been able to shake him off, but he couldn't. The young man's face had changed again. The scars against his cheeks stood out sharply and the edges of his blue eyes began to bleed red. The energy in the air began to rise. Gaara had never felt anything like it before.

"Think carefully about your decision," the man said. Gaara looked into the same eyes as the night before- the fox that had challenged him and taken the girl for himself.

Gaara relaxed into his chair. The shifters at the bar were tense, but as the energy roiling off his companion began to calm, so did they. Red eyes shifted back into blue. The man released his grip. He reached for his back pocket and pulled out the wallet again. He returned the photo of the girl and pulled out another.

Gaara looked at a picture of a young man, a teenager with pale skin and black hair. He didn't look related to the girl, but something about him was familiar. He wore a white sweat shirt that zipped up the middle. His hair stuck up in small tufts at the back.

"Have you ever seen him?" the fox asked him. Gaara shook his head. Still, his memory worked to place the resemblance. He thought of the vampires he had come across, and their human companions. He had the sense that this was were to look, but he could not figure out why.

The fox watched him carefully. "He ran away years ago. I've been searching for him, but no one has ever seen him, and when they do, the information is too old."

"If he ran away he doesn't want to be found," Gaara snapped. The fox snorted and pulled out another photo. He held it up and Gaara felt a chill. The same boy smiled in the photo. He was years younger and holding hands with another boy. A young man taller than him with the same pale skin and dark hair. The same inky black eyes.

"He went to look for his brother."

In the distance, a man stood behind them. Gaara stared, telling himself it couldn't be right. He grabbed the photo and scrutinized the face. More human looking, but undeniably the same. He would know those yellow eyes anywhere.

"Orochimaru," he said and the fox startled at the name. What were the chances of finding he had been here? He looked at the boy again- the child who just might lead him to his enemy.

"You know him?" the fox asked. "You've seen him before?"

Gaara nodded and absently returned the photo. "He killed my father," he said.


	2. Hunted

Starting up this story, I realized what a geek I am when it comes to supernatural type stories. I'm going to bend some of the lore here, but I think my influences will become clear enough. :) Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I'm glad I've captured your interest! -tasukigirl

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**Hunger 02**

**Hunted**

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The silence between them was stifling. The vampire's pale green eyes were fixed on him, but his thoughts were elsewhere, another time and another memory. Naruto leaned forward a little, certain the movement would catch his attention. Or at least the baring of his neck.

"Then we can help each other," he said.

The vampire snapped to attention, eyes focusing exactly where Naruto wanted them.

"No," the vampire said. The hungry look in his eyes vanished instantly, his young face human again in the warm glow of lights. "I must get back to my home. I cannot stop to search for missing children. But I will let you follow me. I will lead you as closely as possible to Orochimaru's circle."

"That's not good enough," Naruto challenged. "I have to find Sasuke."

His eyes flashed with anger, bleeding gold around the edges and in that moment his face aged, years, decades, a glimmer of some power that Naruto could not fathom. The bright red tattoo etched across his forehead seemed to burn against his skin. Naruto braced himself for a strike.

"You are a shifter seeking entry to vampire circles," he hissed. "I will risk my honor to vouch for you, but no more. Press your luck any further and I will take my chances with the wolves."

Naruto leaned back in his chair. The vampire sat on the edge of his; a boy in an oversized coat, skittish and ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Naruto smiled. He reached over with a forced calm, picking up his beer lazily and pressing the cold glass ring to his lips. To all outside observers they were simply a pair of guys; two friends relaxing in the local bar.

"Fine, but we investigate one thing first. There's a house in the woods. The place where you slept last night- meet me there. I won't drag you, but if you try to escape... Remember, I've caught your scent. And so have my buddies at the bar."

"We don't have time," the vampire began.

"An entire family was murdered there. By _your_ kind," Naruto cut him off. "And it's very likely that Orochimaru was one of them." Naruto watched his prey carefully. The other man's protest died at the mention of the vampire's name. "I think we can make a little time."

Naruto drained his bottle and set it down with a resounding thud. The legs of his chair screeched along the wood as he stood up. He turned and noticed Kiba watching them from the counter. He hunched over his bottle, eyes crazed like a caged animal waiting for a moment to pounce.

Naruto gave his best smile, trying to disarm his friend. He gave a friendly wink to signal that all was going according to plan. "Woo, I'm beat." Naruto stretched his arms above his head. "Gonna head out and catch some shut eye." Kiba's dark eyes slid to the figure behind him. His jaw muscles clenched, his hand gripping the brown bottle anchored to the bar. He met Naruto's gaze and nodded begrudgingly. "Thanks for the drink Mrs. Inuzuka!" Naruto waved. The bartender gave him a nod of thanks.

Naruto kept up his cheerful appearance as he pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool autumn night. The smile dropped as his steps crunched along the gravel. His limbs felt jittery with anticipation, with nervous excitement. Out here in the cold, he took a deep breath and caught the faint whiff of the vampire on the wind. His limbs shook with anger again and he fought against it. He was too eager to change right now.

Naruto slipped around the side of the building, trekking into the dark brush surrounding the roadhouse. The smells of the forest were crisp in the cool air. He willed his body to take it in, to calm himself until he could make it to the denser patches of trees. He began removing his jacket and let it fall to the floor. He left it there among the dirt and fallen leaves. The Inuzuka's would pick it up for him later.

His ears perked up as he heard other sounds; other creatures moving through the forest or perhaps the vampire following on his heels.

Naruto felt his anger flare again. It called to him and the image of Hinata, her pale neck torn and bloody flashed in his mind. He pulled off his shirt, feeling his muscles ripple. His hands had barely reached his belt when his bones began to slide. His hands practically melted into paws his body shifting like water. He grew dizzy as the world changed, his vision growing sharper and the night became brighter. The smell of earth grew sharp against his nose. He caught the vampire's scent along with the dried blood of his childhood friend. Naruto sent his paws hurtling forward and broke into a run, following the scent like a beacon.

The vampire moved through the forest quickly, but Naruto knew its turns. He knew the forest like the back of his hand and so he loped leisurely, keeping his target at a safe distance. His mind was alert, his senses keen to detect any move that might stray from the path or lead them away from their destination. But this was his home turf and he was prepared for anything.

Still, it was a relief when he recognized the path to Sasuke's old house.

A cool breeze ruffled his fur as he flew past the brush. He heard other creatures prowling in the forest, but none would bother him tonight. They detected his power and that of the vampire. None would be foolish enough to challenge them both.

When he was yards from the abandoned house, Naruto paused. He considered going back for his clothes, but he couldn't risk it. The vampire might escape in that time and so he willed his body to change, to straighten out and stand on two legs. It was more difficult this way around. Not when his body craved to run wild.

He hated the way his senses seemed dim in human shape. Stepping out into the brush, his steps were louder. Too loud in his own ears as he approached the cleared area before the house. The air was chilly against his bare skin and he felt the goose pimples rise along his arms and legs.

The vampire waited for him by the door. He seemed unsurprised by Naruto's nakedness, his face a mask wiped clean of any emotion. He seemed unimpressed as well. Naruto ignored this slight and opened the door. The wooden boards groaned under his weight, his bare feet warm against the naked boards. He glanced around and noted the few spots that could use repairing. He had hoped to keep it habitable for the day Sasuke decided to return. Or the day Naruto made him.

"Come in," Naruto said with exaggeration. The vampire snorted and stepped inside despite having slept there just hours before. The house was abandoned; its master no longer living. Nothing, save brute force, could keep the vampire out should he desire to enter. Last night had been proof enough.

Naruto walked to the kitchen where he had left a few candles. He grabbed a metal trash bin standing upright in the corner and the box of matches. He brought them both to the living room.

"Take it off," he said to the vampire standing in the dark. The pale face glowing in the moonlight looked at him blankly. "The shirt," Naruto emphasized. "It reeks."

The vampire remained motionless, his pale green eyes glowing eerily in his ashen face. He was proud, this one. He made no move, as though he had not heard the threat underlying the command.

Naruto let his anger roll off his skin. He felt the change calling to him again, urging him back into his other form.

The vampire's fingers slid to the buttons of his coat. Naruto urged his body to calm down, energy still flaring as the vampire slipped free of the dark woolen folds. Naruto's eyes were drawn to the dark brown stains on the white button up. He averted his gaze when he remembered those cold hands gripping Hinata, locking her body against him; and the way the blood seeped into the ground.

"Burn it," he said, holding out the box of matches.

"I have no spare," the vampire said.

"Burn it!" Naruto growled. "I can't think with the smell of her blood filling my nose!"

The vampire undid the buttons of his shirt. He slid it off his slender shoulders and dropped it into the metal waste bin. Naruto slid the box of matches open. He grabbed a yellowing magazine still on the coffee table. He dropped it on top and struck the match against the side of the box. A small flame lit up the darkness, bouncing off their bodies with alternating shadows and light. He tossed the match into the bin and the pages of the magazine caught on fire. A tendril of smoke wafted upward, following by a growing cloud. The vampire picked up his coat. Instead of pulling it over his bare shoulders he held it out to Naruto.

Naruto shook his head. "It's fine. You can keep it." His eyes slid to the fire, the smell of burnt paper filling his nostrils, replacing the faint smell of blood. The vampire kept the coat suspended in the air between him. He realized it was an offering.

Naruto snorted. He pushed the hand away and walked calmly toward the bedroom. "Come on, I'll lend you a shirt," he called. He strode confidently as though he was lord of the small cottage, his nakedness a simple afterthought. His hands reaching for the dark handle, he threw open the white door to the tidy bedroom made up for a young boy.

The dark blue coverlet had been left uninterrupted, an assortment of toys and figurines still lining the bedroom wall. Naruto knew where he was going, his hands reaching for the closet doors and his hand rummaging inside the dark space. Hangers clattered against each other and Naruto was pulling a t-shirt off the wire. He grabbed another as an afterthought. He shuffled over the the drawers next and opened the top. His head turned to survey the contents and he pulled out a few items before sliding the drawer back in place.

"I keep a spare," he said over his shoulder. The vampire's green eyes were practically glowing, reflecting the moonlight like a cat's. The affect was eerie, but Naruto held his gaze until the other turned his head. Naruto smiled as he bent over to pull on the boxers.

The vampire wandered over to the window, finger tugging back the thin gauzy curtain to peer into the darkness beyond. The moon was bright and it cast a bluish glow on the wide open spaces, but the trees were a dark smattering of shadows that hid anything inside.

Naruto zipped up his jeans while his attention remained on his companion. The window was locked and too small to escape through. As though detecting his thoughts, his prisoner shifted, inspecting the well kept room.

For a vampire he looked scrawny. Naruto's gaze ran down the other's body. What light was afforded them bounced off the crevices of his skin. He was pale as alabaster, his body sculpted and just as hard. He wasn't bulky. More David than Goliath, but Naruto suspected that slender form was deceptive.

The vampire caught his gaze. Nonplussed, Naruto held out the black button up shirt. The other man grabbed it, slipping his arms inside until he was cloaked in an inky black that blended with the shadows in the room. The shirt was slightly large on his frame. He rolled the sleeves back until they reached his mid forearm and pulled the coat over.

"This was a child's room," he pronounced.

Naruto nodded. "Sasuke's. I've kept it for him ever since he went missing." Naruto looked at the dusted bedside table. "I mean, since he ran away."

"To search for his brother," the vampire continued.

"Yes," Naruto replied.

"What was he?" the vampire prompted. His gaze flicked about the room, taking in the mundane details of a seemingly ordinary child.

"What do you mean, what was he?" Naruto asked. The vampire glared at him, a withering look that made him feel like he was either deaf or stupid. He wondered how often he practiced that one. Naruto shrugged. "He was human," he said. "They all were. His entire family lived out here in the boonies for no other reason than that they enjoyed it. Sure they were athletic, and naturally gifted, but there was nothing two-natured about them."

"Packs don't allow trespassers on their territory," the vampire countered.

Naruto tried to shrug off his annoyance. Like this vampire knew more about weres than he did. "The Inuzuka clan isn't exactly traditional. They took me in, didn't they?" Naruto challenged. He immediately regretted it. He had just admitted, without meaning to, that he had no pack. An adoptee, an oddity as far as pack rules went. The vampire's mouth parted slightly. His mouth shaped a perfect bow before he pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Then an exception was made for these humans as well," the vampire concluded. Naruto startled. The idea had simply never occurred to him. He had simply assumed Sasuke's family knew nothing of them. Kiba's mom had allowed the children to play together, but there had always been warnings, or small reminders that Sasuke couldn't know about that other side of them. There had never been any suggestion that they were there because the Inuzuka's had invited them. It wasn't like the Hyuugas.

The vampire's steps were silent against the wood. He roamed slowly, eyes searching out the darkest corners of the room, fingers brushing small items.

"Tell me what happened," the vampire spoke.

He turned to look at his opponent and in the sliver of moonlight, his face looked young. No more than 16 or 17. Just a kid, by human estimation. He wasn't surprised that Hinata had welcomed him inside. Only his eyes hinted at what he was. Hinata had probably believed him to be one of them.

Naruto tamped down the anger threatening to rise with this one thought. He turned his back, not caring that it was unsafe. He sank onto the mattress, the springs groaning beneath him and reminded himself why he was here.

"I was about six when Orochimaru showed up around here. I remember because we had just started first grade- Sasuke and I, that is." His hand reached out for a beat up action figure standing upright on the table. The one they had tramped through dirt and mud and just about everything they could find. "He claimed to be a good friend to a distant relative, but had you asked me at the time I would have said he was just an old perv."

"You didn't know he was a vampire?" his companion asked. Naruto shook his head. "He came out during daytime... he ate regular food. How could I tell?"

"You didn't know about the pure bloods?" the phrase ended in a lilt of surprise.

"I was too young to understand. But the adults began speculating when their cousin Shisui turned up dead a few days later. And then the disappearances began." Naruto paused. Sasuke couldn't have understood what was happening, but he had caught on to his parents' anxiety. He had watched as Sasuke pleaded with Itachi to let him join the search.

"A pure blooded vampire walked into shifter territory for a family of humans?" the vampire challenged.

Put that way, Naruto felt a twinge of doubt himself. He steeled himself against it and reminded himself that this was Sasuke he was talking about. His best friend, the one he shared everything with except the one thing that was most important to him. "Yes," Naruto said almost sadly.

The vampire was silent beside him, pale eyebrows knit in thought. This small piece of information seemed to pique his curiosity.

"Sasuke and I were playing by the pond the day the murders took place. We stayed out later than we were supposed to. Kiba was with us too. The rule was to be home by sundown, but we insisted on swimming a little longer. For us it was no problem finding our way back in the dark. And then the wind came with the smell of blood on it. Kiba's sister came for us. She seemed nervous and excited, but she made us go back to Kiba's house and wouldn't tell us where the smell came from. I learned later that there were bodies, everywhere. Some went missing, some were left on the ground, bled dry. That day I learned about vampires," Naruto growled.

He could feel the energy crawling over his skin again urging him to change; and to turn on his companion with claws and teeth. He reminded himself that this was the vampire that would help him. Who would be forced to make up for the rest of his kind. Naruto willed himself to calm and held off the change. He looked to his prisoner for an answer.

"Did you ever find the missing bodies?" He seemed unfazed by this turn in the tale. Like such violence was common place. Like an entire family being wiped out was no more interesting than the weather.

"Of course not!" Naruto spat, feeling his temper rising again. "And Itachi was one of them." He jumped from the bed, pacing across the floor with his hands buried in his hair. He was fighting off the change urging him to drop to his knees. The vampire watched him, expression unreadable as ever.

"Sasuke ran away, unwilling to believe his brother was among the dead. He ran away on a fool's errand for his brother's murderer." His nails lengthened into claws. His canines grew long enough to brush against his bottom lip. He held himself still and imagined gathering the energy around him. He shoved it all into a tiny ball and pushed it back inside himself. He filled his lungs with the cool night air and exhaled slowly. When he looked up, he had control of himself again.

"Why did he think his brother was alive?" the vampire asked. He lifted his head, alert suddenly. He turned to look out the window, body still as a statue while his eyes swept the perimeter. Naruto paused and strained to hear, but he sensed nothing.

He thought back to the question. "There was no body and no blood. None of Itachi's anyway. I asked the other wolves about it later and they said it was true. None of the blood that day belonged to Sasuke's brother."

"He was taken then. Either to be drained or turned later." The vampire seemed antsy. On edge almost. Naruto was feeling anxious just watching him.

"That was our guess. I like to think he was killed. I can't imagine Itachi willingly becoming one of the monsters that killed his family."

The vampire's head turned to the window again. His whole body shifted with him and this time Naruto heard it. Footsteps outside the cabin, and more than one set. He sniffed the air but it was too full of the cabin's own scent, overwrought by the smell of burning still drifting from the living room.

"You weren't traveling alone," Naruto accused, glaring daggers at the vampire. He felt his anger really rise this time. "Who is it? Other vampires?" Naruto marched over to the window, pushing aside the vampire while he took a look outside. He saw only shadows.

"I told you there was no time to stop," the vampire moved toward the door. Naruto pounced on him before he could reach the doorway. He shoved the other man against the wall, pinning his wrists awkwardly against a picture frame.

"Who is it?" Naruto stared down his nose. The arms pushing against his were not weak. Naruto found himself working to contain him, ears perking up when he caught the faint crushing of leaves.

"Humans," the vampire said. "Hunters."

The glass of the bedroom window shattered and Naruto's arm slid around the vampire's waist, pulling them out of the trajectory of some sort of missile. In the dark, it was too hard to tell. A tranquilizer bounced off the wood and fell to the floor. Naruto grabbed his prisoner and pulled him to the ground while more shots ricocheted off the wood.

"Goddamn it," Naruto griped, shuffling on all fours toward the living room. A crash sounded from the front, wood splintering and falling. Heavy boots stomped along the ground, rushing toward them. Naruto stayed low to the ground, grabbing a shadowy ankle as an unknown figure rushed by. The body tumbled forward, crashing to the ground. The vampire jumped atop him and the two figures wrestled for control.

Naruto was about to leap in when he had to dodge another shot from outside the window. He rose to his feet, tearing off his shirt to shift when he felt a burning sensation against his back. Naruto dropped to his knees, the familiar burn of silver etching it's outline into his skin. He growled low in his throat, body itching to shift if only to get away from that pain. A silver chain slid around his neck, pulling his head back.

"Stay where you are monster," a female voice warned. Something about it was familiar, but the chain biting into his skin distracted him. "How many of you are there?" she yelled into his ear. Unable to answer Naruto shook his head. He felt his nails shifting into claws. She jerked on the chain as a warning and Naruto closed his eyes, trying to shut it out. He focused on the energy around him, releasing the ball he had tucked away just minutes before. Despite the chain around his neck his body dropped and he turned before her.

He felt her grip on the chain loosen as his body melted before her. The change was quick, too quick and Naruto knew he would feel drained later. He tried not to think about that as he turned into a creature with fangs and claws.

The girl shrieked and the chain dropped. Naruto used her surprise against her, using the brief pause in her attack to leap and knocking her shoulders against the floor. To her credit, she kept a brave face on. To her credit she wasted no time in reaching for another weapon.

Her bright green eyes flashed with anger as she raised the silver dagger high above her head. Seeing her expression in the moonlight, Naruto felt his stomach drop. With one large push that made his body scream; that made all his instinct revolt, he forced himself back into a reverse transformation. Uncertain, her hand paused. She scooted away from him, scuttling toward the fire. Even as he changed, he could see her face in the limited light. He had caught the flecks of pink in her hair.

She looked at him like he was something repulsive, like he was a monster to hunt down in the dark. Even as he felt his paws return to fingers she shook her head and raised the dagger again. But when she brought it down, there was no strength in it. Naruto leaned over her, hoping she would see him, hoping she would recognize him despite the dark.

"Sakura," he pleaded, his hand holding her wrist- careful not to let his skin touch the metal of the blade. It would burn then and prove that he wasn't something harmless; something human like she had always believed. "Sakura, it's me."


	3. Down the Rabbit Hole

AN: I know this type of story doesn't appeal to everyone, but to those who gave it a chance and decided to stick with it, thanks. :) And thank you to all of you who took some time out to review! I decided to rush the next update in honor of Halloween and I hope you enjoy it. It will have to tide you over for awhile since I will not be updating in November. Good luck to all of you participating in NaNoWriMo. I'll be struggling with you! ;)

See you all again in December! - Tasukigirl

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**Hunger 03**

**Down the Rabbit Hole**

* * *

"Sakura!" Naruto's mind raced a mile a minute. There was no denying it was her. There were changes of course; her cheekbones, her hips, the soft swell of her breasts, but at the heart of it was the same girl he had met on the playground; the girl he had loved since he was five years old.

Naruto eased his grip on her wrist, suddenly wary of his strength and her pulse fluttering against her skin. And he was conscious of the fact that she had every reason to fear him. It would be so easy to crush her, to break her bones into so many tiny pieces. He tried to be gentle as he pushed the blade away from their bodies. "I'm not a vampire," he said cautiously. "It's still me Sakura. You know I'd never hurt you."

Her eyes searched him, lips pressed in a thin line with barely contained panic. It hurt to see her look at him like that, to see her struggling with indecision. A crash sounded in the bedroom, and a man groaned in a way that suggested pain. Sakura's gaze darted toward their shadows.

"Call them off," Naruto urged her. "You have to call them off before someone gets hurt!"

Sakura shook her head, panic in her rounded eyes. "Kakashi," she whispered toward the struggling shadows behind them.

"Kakashi," Naruto said. "That's the hunter in the bedroom?" Sakura's attention was on him again. She nodded hurriedly, her desire to help the other man was so clear that it made Naruto feel jealous. "I can help him, but you need to put the knife down. You need to trust me right now."

Her fingers loosened for a moment, visibly relaxing as she thought about it. For a moment she seemed less like a hunter and more like the girl he remembered. But it was short lived and the hunter reemerged, her face hardening into something cold. "Trust you?" she spat, pushing against his hold. Her fingers gripped the knife tightly and Naruto feared she would try to fight him again. "I thought you were my friend. How could you hide this from me? How could you let me think you were human?"

Each word was a twist in his gut. He grit his teeth and reminded himself now was not the time to explain. "Maybe someday I'll have time to tell you, but right now we need to hurry. If you don't trust me, you should at least trust your own knowledge. As a hunter, you should know weres don't travel by themselves."

Her eyes flared with panic.

"Unless you tell them to step down, every single hunter out there is in danger. They are neck deep in were territory carting guns and other weapons. The pack is out there. You guess how many of them are going to stop and ask who they're hunting before striking back."

The strength in her arm wavered. Naruto hated that he had to push himself on her like this. He hated using his strength against her. He wanted to scoop her up in a hug and welcome her back, not roll around on the floor.

A low howl sounded from the forest. Naruto's head perked up, turning in the direction of the smashed front door. He shook his head as he recognized Kiba's crooning; a warning to all wolves close enough to hear, and a summons. "Hurry, Sakura. I beg you," Naruto urged. He released Sakura and hopped to his feet, well out of reach of her silver knife. "If you value your team, warn them _now_. The pack is on their way."

He didn't pause to hear Sakura's response, throwing himself into the bedroom where sounds of sputtering and choked breaths invaded his ears.

The vampire's eyes bled gold as he looked up at his prey, pale fingers wrapped tightly around the neck of a hunter being lifted a foot off the ground. The hunter clawed with one hand at his throat, gasps for air muffled by the dark mask covering the bottom half of his face. His other hand picked at the ties of a pouch hanging at his belt.

Naruto caught a flash of metal in the light, the needle poised to inject the dark, viscous fluid in the syringe. He pushed on it lightly, one dark drop falling to the wooden floor. One whiff and Naruto knew it wasn't tranquilizer.

The vampire's grip grew tighter.

Naruto dove between them, shoving them apart and sending both men scuttling along the floor. The vampire turned on him, fangs extended, but Naruto ignored him, attention focused on the hunter scrambling for the needle on the floor. Naruto moved between them, facing the hunter and spread his arms out wide.

The hunter paused, his one visible eye startled as he took in Naruto's appearance. His hand closed on the syringe and he picked himself up slowly, careful to stay within clear view of the broken window.

"Leave the vampire to me," Naruto warned him.

"Sakura?" the hunter called, head tilted toward the living room while his one visible eye stared straight ahead. He kept one hand securely on the syringe, the other hand splayed in the open to show he carried no other weapon. Naruto kept his eyes fixed forward, watching the hunter despite the dark energy swirling behind him.

"I sent her outside to call down your men. The sooner you join her, the better chance your team has of surviving against my pack."

The hunter slid his feet backward, inching toward the window. He turned his head carefully, eyes still on Naruto until he glanced over quickly. Whatever he could see or not see put him at ease. He turned his attention back to Naruto.

"We've been tracking this one down for awhile. He's slippery and he can't be trusted. You're better off handing him to us."

Naruto kept his arms out, not moving in the slightest. "And what will you do with him if I hand him over? Dose him up with dead man's blood? Let him lead you to his nest where you can slaughter them all?" Naruto shook his head. "I'm no more fond of vampires than you are, but I need this one. He's going to help me with something and that's why I have to protect him from you. I have no quarrel with hunters, but I can't let you have him."

The pack was closing in on them. Naruto could smell them on the wind. He could hear their footfalls landing against the brush. "You're running out of time," Naruto warned him.

The hunter seemed to realize this. He ran a gloved hand through his silvery hair, a hint of a smile shaped against the cloth mask covering his face. "Well see, that puts us both in a bind." The hunter reached around his neck and pulled out a chain from underneath his vest. Two pendants winked in the moonlight. One, a symbol Naruto had seen from his days playing with Sasuke. A fan, an uchiha on a silver chain and a red fang, the pack's symbol, right beside it.

Naruto's stomach dropped.

"As a friend of the pack, I can't hurt you or I risk losing my status," the hunter smiled sheepishly. "On the other hand, should your pack hurt my team..."

Naruto didn't wait to shift. He dropped to the floor, forcing himself again through the now painful transformation. He would be drained in the morning, but there was too much at stake. The hunter didn't seem surprised as Naruto turned. He only took a few more steps back toward the window to give him some space. And when the world changed, and the world became clearer, Naruto immediately let out a loud croon. He knew the others had to be close enough to hear it. He could smell them, and the four hunters outside, Sakura among them. Naruto repeated the croon warning them, telling them not to hurt their intruders. He hoped it would be enough. While the hunter relaxed, Naruto came forward and nosed the hand still gripping the syringe. He bared his teeth in warning and the hunter, reluctantly put it back in his pouch.

Content, Naruto turned to the vampire. The creatures eyes had shifted back to their normal green. He didn't look wounded, but there was a weariness about him beneath the tension rolling from his body.

Naruto paced around the small space between them, walking in a tight circle. He eyed them both as he circuited the bedroom, making out the details of their fight. There were signs of a struggle visible in the furniture, his paws careful around the splinters of glass and wood on the floor.

He tried to ignore the sounds outside the window; the small gasps and grunts of struggles in the dark. Unconsciously, he realized he was waiting for the scent of blood. He shook it from his head and reminded himself Kiba would honor the promise not to maim a friend of the pack.

When all went quiet, the footsteps began. Kiba's scent grew stronger, his step light beside the heavy stomping of boots. For hunters, they sure could be loud when they wanted to. Soon Naruto was looking at Sakura's annoyed expression. Kiba guided her, hands tied behind her back with what must have been her own rope. She kept her eyes averted as he pushed her aside and strolled into the room, naked as the day he was born.

Kiba's eyes lit on the vampire and his eyes grew wild again. He grinned the way he always did before a fight and Naruto growled a small warning to remind him why he was here. Kiba huffed, elongated fang brushing over his bottom lip as he grinned and turned his attention to the hunter, Kakashi.

The hunter smiled at Kiba's appearance, crossing his arms over his chest casually as he leaned against the wall. "You must be Tsume's boy, Kiba. My, you've gotten tall."

Naruto would have laughed had he not been in fox form. Kiba's smirk immediately disappeared as Kakashi held up the pendant over his chest with one finger, high enough to let Kiba see. "You were just a pup the last time I saw you. You kids sure do grow up fast." His one visible eye scrunched up in a smile.

Kiba's expression faltered. He looked uncertain for a moment, furrowing his brow as he tried to place some lost memory. Kakashi held out his hand, waiting for Kiba to shake.

"But where are my manners, you probably don't remember me. My name is Kakashi Hatake, and I am a friend to the pack through my father, the White Fang."

Naruto's steps paused. He looked at the hunter again, trying to make out his features. The mask and the covering of one eye made his age impossible to tell. The silver hair made him seem older, but judging by his figure, and the muscles in his exposed arm, he was guessing the hunter was much younger than previously assumed.

The White Fang had been before their time, but that had not prevented them from hearing the tales of a human man bitten by a rogue werewolf. Though not a pureblood, the Inuzuka pack had taken him in and he had been just as fierce as the rest of them. They had not been told, however, that the man was a hunter. It certainly explained a lot.

Glancing at Kiba, Naruto could tell by his expression that the young wolf was equally floored. Kakashi pat his shoulder in a fatherly way and began to move past the window. "Come on, son. Why don't you put some clothes on and we'll talk like civilized folk."

Still at a loss for words, Kiba nodded absently.

The hunter reached for Sakura. He pushed her gently toward the living room as she kept her eyes carefully fixed on anywhere but Kiba. "Come on, Sakura. Let's give these boys some privacy." Sakura, shot Naruto an ambiguous look and nodded. The hunter's fingers were already at her wrists, picking the knots that had her hands bound securely. He paused only to close the door behind them.

"What the fuck is going on around here?" Kiba whispered harshly. "Fucking vampires," he muttered, glancing at said vampire angrily. Naruto issued a warning and the other man huffed, taking out his frustration on the nearest shelf by shoving things onto the floor. Naruto stayed in his fox form, not yet ready to shift back. He barked out a few words and Kiba moved toward the dresser where the spare clothes were kept. The vampire kept his distance.

When he was content that Kiba wouldn't attempt to fight, Naruto shifted back onto two legs. He pat the other man on the shoulder and squeezed gently. Kiba simply shook his head. Zipping up the loose pair of jeans, Kiba padded his way barefoot to the door. "You should have just let me kill him," Kiba grumbled as he left the room.

Naruto let out a sigh and sat on the bed, wincing when the frame sounded less sturdy than it did before. He ran his hand over his face, wishing he hadn't pushed that last transformation.

"Why didn't you tell me there were hunters after you?" He turned to look at the slender figure leaning against the wall. The vampire turned his head toward the window, hands in the pockets of his oversized coat.

"I didn't think they would be reckless enough to follow into were territory."

Naruto snorted. "What else don't I know about you besides everything? How long have they been chasing you? Why the hell did you run here of all places?"

The vampire closed his eyes, opening them again slowly. His expression gave no hint that he had even heard the question. Naruto shook his head, bending to reach for the pile of clothes he left strewn across the floor.

"If I tell you," the vampire began. "If I tell you the truth, you help me get out of this."

Naruto's hand paused on his shirt. It hadn't been a question. It was a condition. And one Naruto wasn't so sure about at the moment.

One vampire had stepped into his territory. Just _one_ and everything had gone to shit. This situation had just gone from bad to worse in less than a day and now that Sakura was not only privy to his secret but an opposition to his lifestyle he wasn't sure siding with this vampire was going to save their friendship. But on the other hand... it could save his best friend.

Maybe she would understand if she knew it was for Sasuke. Maybe if he could make her see that, he would have a chance at forgiveness.

"I help you out of this you help me find out about Orochimaru?"

The vampire's gaze slid to his, their eyes met and an understanding passed between them.

"But remember," Naruto warned. "I still haven't forgotten what you did to Hinata."

Naruto pulled the shirt over his head. He felt odd being only half dressed and looked around for his shorts.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," the vampire said. Naruto's head perked up. "I'm not that sloppy."

"That's supposed to be reassuring?" Naruto retorted. The vampire shook his head.

"No, I mean, I don't usually drink so much from my victims. Normally, I don't have to."

Naruto frowned. The vampire had mentioned he was starving when Hinata had invited him inside. Naruto didn't consider it an excuse, but he wondered.

"I've been called back to my nest, as you would call it. It's a matter of some urgency. And when I left New York I expected enemies to come after me, but I did not expect them."

"They've been following you since _New York_?"

"I took the slower route to prevent any paper trails or records they could follow. It wasn't enough. They caught up with me two days ago, ambushed me in a public place. That syringe. You know what was in it."

Naruto frowned.

"It was only a small amount, but it was enough."

"You were poisoned?"

"And it was excruciating. I went two days without feeding knowing I needed fresh blood to heal. The hunters gave me little time to stop. And when I arrived on your friend's doorstep...it was a matter of survival."

Naruto paused. There was nothing in the vampire's voice, no inflection, to suggest that he regarded his actions toward Hinata with any regret. There was no hint of remorse nor apology. And yet, Naruto found he wasn't as angry as before. Instead he felt sort of angry at the hunters.; the ones who drove the vampire toward them, who pushed him until he was so desperate with hunger he took the nearest bait.

"Why do they want you?" Naruto asked. "Why chase you down so relentlessly when there are more of you out there?"

The vampire paused for a moment. "You know what happens when a pure were bites a human," the vampire said in hushed tones.

"Of course," Naruto replied. Kiba's mother had always stressed the horror of it, to drive home how dangerous it was and dissuade them from ever trying it in sport. He wondered what this had to do with anything when he stopped and thought of the implications. His mind immediately jumped to Hinata and he leaped from the bed. The vampire's grip was strong as it pulled him from the door. "You bastard, you turned her!"

Naruto pushed the vampire backward, using his bulk to shove the shorter man toward the bed. The vampire didn't strike back, but simply held up the flat of his palm.

"She is still human. I did not poison her with my blood."

Naruto paused and he ran his hand through his hair when he realized how silly he was being. He had seen Hinata and she was okay. She was weak, but there had been no sign of changes. The vampire sat up on the bed, tugging his clothes neatly into place. "But I have the potential. And they know it. The hunters seek to wipe out every remaining pure blood. They see us as rogue dogs, incapable of governing ourselves."

"And are you?" Naruto asked. "All rogues..." he finished.

The vampire's lips tugged up in a grin that didn't seem to plead a case against the accusation.

"You will find out soon enough."

Naruto wasn't cheered by his tone. The gravity of the situation fully settled upon him. He realized with some slight sense of panic that he would actually leave the safety of his pack. He would be traveling with this stranger, this villain to who knows where into far worse than a den of wolves. Naruto shut his eyes and pictured Hinata's pale face, her slender neck wrapped in bandages. He imagined Sasuke's dark look after his family was taken from him. Naruto fortified himself with these memories and nodded. Opening his eyes again he nodded at the vampire.

"Then what are we waiting for?" he said.

Someone had found the candles he kept stocked in the kitchen cabinets. Candles crowded the tables and the mantle above the fireplace. The tall flames flickered and threw orange and black shadows across the room, making the faces turned to him haggard with their light. Only Kakashi seemed at ease, leaning against the dusty couch while Sakura sat stiffly beside him. Kiba didn't slow his gait, bare feet pacing the wooden floors.

Neji stood in the far corner, fully dressed. His arms crossed over his chest while he hovered like a prison guard over two girls Naruto had never seen before. One had her hair up in two balls on either side of her heart shaped face. She was decked out in camouflage, and had enough weapons for a small platoon. The other girl was a pretty blonde, hair pulled high in a pony tail. She gave Naruto a once over and smiled at him playfully.

A scent on the wind told Naruto that Sai was prowling around the perimeter. He must have been sniffing out the fourth member of the hunting party.

"Is this everyone?" Naruto addressed Kakashi.

Kakashi smiled, not put out by the question. "We have one man working surveillance from a van parked on the main road. You can drag him here if you like, but it might slow things down. Chouji isn't as light on his feet."

Naruto nodded, and glanced again at the small hunting party, surprised to note how many of them were female. He wondered when Sakura had fallen into their ranks.

But that was a question for another time.

Naruto looked to Kiba, a silent inquiry on whether he wanted to say something first. Kiba looked away, a clear no before shooting a dark look toward the vampire.

"Then I guess we'll discuss amongst ourselves," Naruto said self-consciously. "As a friend of the pack you are welcome to come and go as you please. But the matter of the vampire is something we'll have to negotiate."

Naruto avoided looking at Sakura. He kept his attentions on Kakashi who seemed less at ease than a moment ago. He shifted his stance, settling his weight on the arm of the couch and clasped his hands in front of him.

"Why don't you tell me how you came to hold sway over him first? Or what you plan to do with him once we're gone. You said you needed him."

Naruto wet his lips. The room was quiet as though it had taken a collective breath and decided to hold it. All eyes focused on him, glassy stares catching the flickering candle lights.

"Well," Naruto paused, wondering where to start, "from what I gather, after you dosed him with dead man's blood he ran here, where he chose to feed on a local girl named Hinata." Naruto's eyes flicked toward Sakura briefly. She frowned, and lowered her eyes and Naruto was glad to see that Sakura remembered her at least.

"I was out when I smelled the blood. I stopped him from draining her and the next night we set a trap for him. He didn't know he was in were territory. Given that he hasn't tried to fight us, I'm going to guess he's still not recovered from whatever is in his system. He chose to cooperate with us instead of fight his way out."

"Cooperate with what?" Kakashi prompted.

Naruto glanced at Sakura. She had only heard tales of what happened to Sasuke's family. As a kid, she wasn't privy to the sort of supernatural activities going on with her classmates, or so he thought. He wondered how much she knew after all.

"Finding Orochimaru," Naruto finished.

"And what will you do with Orochimaru once you find him?" Kakashi smiled. He didn't seem impressed by Naruto's plan, but more amused by it.

"Use him to help me find Sasuke." Naruto squared his shoulders, waiting for a challenge to his statement. Instead Kakashi tilted his head, looking at Naruto as though he were considering something new. Something he hadn't quite thought about before.

"How much do you know about Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

"He was my best friend! We knew everything about each other!"

"So he knew you were two-natured?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto stopped short. He looked at Sakura, but she wouldn't face him. She kept her face lowered, her pale lashes fanning out across her cheeks. Naruto shook his head.

"What did you know of Sasuke's family?" Kakashi continued.

Naruto felt his confidence dimming. The vampire's earlier question came back to him and he wondered for a moment if Sasuke had been hiding something, just as Naruto had kept things from him. Naruto looked to Kiba, but the wolf shook his head. His expression mirrored Naruto's confusion. Tsume had never told them anything. They had grown up as friends and neighbors. There had never been any sort of distrust beyond a repeated need to keep secrets.

Kakashi murmured to himself as though he had his answer. Naruto lowered his face, his cheeks hot with shame. This was not going as well as he had planned.

"You're heart is in the right place, but your strategy is a little lacking," Kakashi continued. "You're not the only one looking for Sasuke." The hunter paused, turning his head to look at the woman sitting next to him. He lifted a hand and settled it on Sakura's shoulder, allowing it to rest. "And we've been working on it just as long as you have, if not longer."

Naruto frowned, looking at his childhood friend as though noticing her for the first time. True she had been smitten with Sasuke since they were kids, trailing him on the school grounds like a love sick puppy; but when she went away he had always thought it was to move on with her life. He expected her to be a lawyer, a doctor, or a wife with two kids. He hadn't expected her to turn into this.

"And if you noticed," Kakashi started again, "I came in here armed with dead man's blood and not a machete. I'm not interested in killing our guest here. I need him as a bargaining chip. I'm sure you didn't get this far in your introductions, but why don't you ask your friend here, who he is."

Naruto turned to the vampire, lifting one brow. The vampire avoided his look, eyes concentrated on the hunter with a look of pure loathing. That he didn't like being toyed with was clear enough. But Naruto wondered just who on earth he had stumbled across.

"He's a pureblood. I know that much," Naruto commented, trying to ease the tension in the room. "And that his father was killed by Orochimaru. That's why he's willing to help me."

Kakashi chuckled. "And probably hoping you'll dispose of Orochimaru for him." Kakashi kept his gaze fixed on the vampire. The two men locked gazes, ratcheting the tension in the room. Naruto stepped between them to break their line of sight.

"Is that true?" Naruto addressed the vampire. "You want me to get rid of Orochimaru for you? Because I'm willing to," he said. Naruto's heart rate quickened with his own words. He had never killed a human in his life. He had never killed anything beyond rabbits or other wildlife in the woods. But speaking the words aloud, willing himself to remember all the hurt the older vampire had caused all those years ago, he realized it was true.

The vampire averted his gaze, answering with his silence.

"Kill Orochimaru unprovoked and you'll drag your entire pack into their messy civil war. That's why I was planning to kidnap him. Go ahead, ask him about it. There's a lot more to this tale than you think."

Kakashi smiled as if he was amused by this turn in events. Naruto had vowed to get the vampire out of this situation, but it seemed there was much more going on than previously let on. When the vampire remained silent, Naruto moved toward him. He leaned in close and forced the vampire to look at him.

"I can't help you unless I know what I'm getting into. Tell me what he's talking about."

Pale green eyes flicked upward. There was a reluctance in his expression, a tension in his mouth that proved he was loath to offer more information than he had already given.

He shook his head like one defeated.

"You asked if we're capable of governing ourselves?" he said begrudingly. "My father was on the council of five, the board of pure bloods given authority to enforce vampire law. When Orochimaru killed my father and got away with it, it was a challenge and a message. We are, as he says, at civil war and Orochimaru just delivered a large blow against us."

"That's why you were called back to your nest," Naruto pieced together. The vampire gave a curt nod. "So why is he a bargaining chip? His father is dead. Who would want him?" Naruto looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi's smile only got broader, visible beneath his dark mask. "Why don't you let Gaara tell you that."

The vampire's eyes went blank as he looked at nothing in particular. He crossed his arms over his chest a little tighter. "My father skipped the line of succession. He ignored my older siblings and named me his successor. I am the next chair on the council of five."

Naruto's mouth dropped. He had captured a leader, an alpha vampire. He felt a thrill when he realized he had only witnessed a small fraction of the other's power.

Kakashi slipped off the couch and approached them cautiously. He kept a safe distance as he regarded them both. "The opposition is very interested in finding him. As the youngest council member they view him as the weakest. We had to get to him before they did."

"And what will you do with him once you have him?" Naruto asked.

"Offer him to whichever side can give us Sasuke."

Naruto's blood began thrumming, his heart rate accelerating with nervous excitement. "You know where he is?" he asked.

Kakashi shook his head. "Vaguely. We know he's with the vampires, but I don't know who or which side. We've got a mole inside the nest feeding us what information he can, but it's been slow work. It's too dangerous to go snooping."

"A lot of work for just one human," Gaara retorted.

Naruto frowned, remembering Kakashi's question. Remembering Gaara's curiosity over a human family living in were territory. An exception to the rule.

"Ah, but Sasuke isn't just any human. In fact, thanks to Orochimaru, he may now be the last of his kind." Kakashi fumbled with the chain around his neck. He pulled out the charms again, lifting the metal uchiha for them to see more clearly.

Naruto looked to the vampire and noted the earlier defensiveness drain from his stance.

"You recognize this crest, don't you," Kakashi prompted.

"I thought they were all dead," the vampire said with wonder.

"And so they practically are," Kakashi replied. "But not for as long as you think. Now you see what all the fuss is about? You're the best bait we can find and even that might not be enough."

The vampire clenched his jaw, turning away again and wiping his expression blank.

"Someone clue me in here," Naruto yelled. "Kiba, Neji, did you two know anything about this?" The other weres shook their heads. They seemed equally mystified.

"Don't blame yourself," Kakashi said. "I'm not sure Sasuke even knew his family's history and the adults would have kept it quiet to protect the younger generation."

"Keep _what _quiet?" Naruto grew frustrated.

"They were hunters, Naruto," Sakura's gentle voice interrupted.

Naruto turned to look at her, certain he had misheard her. She met his gaze with a look of regreat that made him feel cold inside. Suddenly Mrs. Inuzuka's warnings had made sense. It was okay to play when they were children, but they would have grown up on opposite sides of the fence. Naruto as a shifter, and Sasuke as the one meant to keep his kind in line.

"The Uchihas were a family of hunters," Sakura said again before retreating against the couch.

"Not just hunters, but vampire hunters," Gaara interjected. "Their clan kept our kind underground for centuries."

Naruto tried to blink away his shock. He resisted the urge to ask her how she knew.

"What changed?" Naruto asked, clearing his throat. He glanced from Kakashi to Gaara, waiting for an answer from either of them.

The vampire smiled to himself and shook his head, still getting over his disbelief.

"Madara," the vampire answered. "He lead their clan over a century ago. He was the first hunter who might have wiped us out." The vampire shook his head and chuckled. Naruto didn't see what was so funny about it, but he wasn't about to ask. He wasn't sure he wanted to understand the other's sense of humor.

"How did you stop him?" Naruto asked.

A chilling grin slid over the other's face. "We turned him into one of us."

Naruto shivered a little. He took a step back without realizing it. The vampire fixed him with his green eyes. His lips curved up in a way that made Naruto's insides squirm.

"The transformation drove him mad. We wiped out the rest of his clan so none could put him out of his misery. Only his brother escaped. They died, killing each other," Gaara smiled.

"That's the story anyway," Kakashi said. "But either Madara's brother didn't die, or the vampires weren't as thorough as they believed. A few of them hunted, like my partner Obito, but most tried to fly below the radar. They succeeded for a long time too." Kakashi's fingers tightened on the crest. "Just before he died, he gave this to me and asked me to watch over his family. So you see, you're not the only one with a personal interest in this. The Inuzuka pack has offered them asylum for a few generations now, but they can't get involved with the skirmish. It would endanger everyone else they're protecting." Kakashi looked at Naruto meaningfully.

Kiba huffed. They all paused to look at the wolf pacing back and forth, running his hand through his hair. "That's why mom was willing to go along with our plan. She wants us to find Sasuke, but she can't do it herself. That's why she said you had to do it." He stopped and looked at Naruto, a look of guilt written on his features.

"Because I'm not one of you," Naruto frowned. "If I get caught she can cut me off."

"Shit," Kiba muttered. "I had no idea, I swear."

Naruto shook his head. The risk had just grown exponentially.

"Don't be so sure," Kakashi interrupted. "Tsume knows that Naruto has an edge on them. He has the element of surprise. If the vampires caught Naruto, they wouldn't want to hurt him. They would want to keep him."

Naruto scrutinized the hunter to gauge if he was joking. The smile on the older man's face had all but faded. In fact, he looked suddenly interested, suddenly very attentive to Naruto's responses.

"And why would they want me?"

"Because vampires like to keep rare pets. The more powerful they are, the better. Sasuke would be a curiosity, but you... you would be a treasure. To the rest of the supernatural world, your kind is extinct, gone with the death of your parents. Because no one beyond this room or your pack knows what you are or that you're the last of your kind."

_The last of your kind. _

The words repeated themselves in his head like a bad echo. Naruto frowned and took a few more steps away from the hunter. He moved toward the middle of the room and shook his head, as so many things suddenly came to make sense: the promise he had sworn to never reveal his double nature to anyone outside the pack; the times he was left behind while the others attended the summits and festivals with other shifters. Only he had been kept behind to watch over those too young to attend, or so Tsume had allowed him to believe. He had never questioned his leader nor the fact the other wolves never talked about Naruto's uniqueness. He had always assumed it was because he was "adopted." He thought it was to help him feel like he belonged.

She had been hiding him for as long as he could remember.

Kiba's arm wound around Naruto's shoulder, giving a tight squeeze to show that he too had only just made the connection. His breath was warm as his nose nuzzled the nape of Naruto's neck. Naruto pat his hand as a thank you.

"If you want to save Sasuke," Kakashi continued. "You can help by working with us. You don't have to run head into this all by yourself. We can send you in there with backup, with safeguards to make sure you'll get out okay."

Naruto swept the room with his gaze, looking to his pack. Kiba held his gaze and frowned, no challenge written in his features and no advice to offer as well. Neji, the newest pack member looked at Naruto with a sense of unease. Naruto smiled at him and the other man lowered his pale eyes to signal he also would not challenge the fox's decision.

Naruto turned to look at one more person. The one whose opinion he valued most. Sakura sat on the edge of her chair, her eyes bright with hope in a way that wounded him. It was the hope of one who needed him, not as a friend, but as a means to an end.

"What do you propose?"


	4. Bond

AN: I realize it's been awhile, so thanks all of you who have been patient. :) Now that Nanowrimo is over, I can get back to business! Enjoy~

* * *

Hunger 04

Bond

* * *

The atmosphere had shifted. Gaara tensed as he witnessed the volley of words between him. The one buffer shielding him from his would-be hunter was wavering, slipping into the trap set before him. The right bait had been dangled and with two eyes wide open, Gaara watched as the fox allowed himself to be drawn into the hunter's net.

"What do you propose?" the fox asked and Gaara wondered if he knew what sort of web he was walking into. This wasn't going to be a rescue.

"It's a trade," Gaara voiced, his gaze meeting the startled look in the fox's eyes. "You for the Uchiha. That's what he's proposing." The hunter neither confirmed nor denied it with his response. "And what sort of safeguards will get him out of that?" the vampire challenged.

There was a pause and the hunter was silent, his one eye unblinking as he stared at Gaara. He was evaluating something, but it was not yet clear what. The look faded and the hunter's expression relaxed, slipping into a friendly look that put Gaara on edge.

"I thought that answer would be obvious," Kakashi replied. All eyes in the room turned to him and Gaara realized where this was leading.

His stomach sank a little. "You want me to make him my pet, to do the trade myself. And does he know what that entails?" He shot a look at the fox, the tall, proud creature and knew it would not be easy. They did not know his reputation. They would never convince his siblings, or the council.

The fox looked uncertain, his resolve visibly wavering as his attention jumped from Gaara to the hunter and back again. The wolf, Kiba, put an arm around him possessively, shielding his packmate. He looked hard at the hunter, an understanding prompting the fury in his gaze.

"No self-respecting were would lower himself to become a vampire's _pet_," he spat. He shot Gaara a look of loathing, mouth pulled up in a sneer. "And his kind would never deign to keep us around unless it was to humiliate us." He looked around the room, challenging anyone else to contradict him.

The girl with the pink hair lowered her face, her once eager look melting into guilt. She knew what she was asking and still she asked it. The other girls seem unaffected despite the wolf now holding tight onto his fury behind them.

"I didn't say it would be easy," their leader replied. "But Naruto seemed so hell bent on saving Sasuke I figured he might be willing to try."

Kiba shook his head vehemently. "It's too risky, I don't buy this safeguard bullshit. What's to prevent that blood sucker from killing Naruto as soon as he's out of sight? Or betraying us once he's out of your reach?"

Kakashi rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was getting to that," he said wearily.

"I rather agree with the wolf," Gaara said. This brought surprised looks from everyone. "No one will believe I've accepted him as my pet just to show him off. They will have certain. . . expectations." Gaara's eyes flicked up at the fox's before darting away. He tried to push out the memories of Shukaku, those golden eyes still haunting him. He would not let it happen again.

"I have a reputation," he explained.

"Which is why I presume your father named you his successor," the hunter replied. Gaara was silent. He crossed his arms over his chest and pulled himself up to his full height. He should have known the hunter had done his research.

"You should know, Naruto, that Gaara is the most violent of his siblings and the most powerful. His creativity in the arts of torture and killing was so great that his own father tried to get rid of him," the hunter explained.

The words struck him like a physical blow. Gaara closed his eyes, reminded of that dark time in his life, when he was just a boy; long before the bouts of violence, the killing sprees, and his own kind coming after him in the night. He remembered the nightmares and he clenched his jaw, fingers digging into his skull. He told them to stop, forced with all his might to push them away.

This is how it had started. This is how Shukaku had entered his life.

He forced himself to calm down, to box up those nightmares and locked them away where it couldn't hurt him. When he opened his eyes again, they others were watching him, eyes round with fear. Kakashi's fingers were wrapped tight around a vial of blood so putrid he wanted to vomit.

Anger swept over him, and his fangs elongated in reaction.

"What?" he roared at them. "Are you going to shove poison inside me again? Stick me on a leash as you will them?" he pointed at the weres. "You can't keep me dosed on dead man's blood forever. And then what will you do?"

The hunter kept his hand close to his pouch, the other out in the open, fingers splayed to show he held nothing. He moved his hand slowly like one approaching a wild animal. He held his hand palm up to entreat Gaara to wait.

"That's why we'll bond you before you go."

Gaara stopped short. With that one phrase the fight left him and he lowered his arms to his sides. He looked to the fox, the man who would help him only so long as he was useful and shook his head.

"No," he said resolutely.

"You've been gone from home for a long time," Kakashi said, nonplussed. "A lot of things happened in that time. Convince your siblings that Naruto is your pet and the rest will fall in line. No one needs to know about the bond unless they have to. It will be the ace up our sleeve."

Gaara shook his head and took a step back, away from the hunter. "You cannot ask this of me, it is too much."

Gaara's eyes searched the room seeking a way out. His fingers felt the wall behind him. He retreated another step, counting the people in the room and his odds of making it out alive, or dead. He should have fought his way out of that bar and never come back here. What the hunter proposed was infinitely worse.

"What's a bond?" Naruto asked, his voice distrustful. He looked at the female hunter who couldn't meet his gaze. The girl stared at her hands, one hand clasped over another. She shook her head.

"It's a physical bond between vampires and non-vampires. One that lets them know each other's thoughts. It means they can't lie to you, they can't hurt you because you'll know their intent."

"No," Gaara protested, "it means forcing us to share everything." Gaara's hand reached out to brace himself against the wall. He remembered that initial rush, that sense of someone else with him, knocking around inside his head; the power and the freedom to share anything and everything. To never feel alone.

He swallowed heavily and forced himself to breathe slowly, to not think about that anymore.

When he looked back up, the fox was eying him, his pale brows knitted in concern. He looked vulnerable, if such were the word, like a little boy and not a grown man.

"Everything?" he asked.

"You'll be forced to feel my pain, my fears," he looked down at the floor, remembering the bloodlust Shukaku had thrived on. "My desires," he finished. "A bond is meant to be the ultimate show of trust. Of love," he paused, clenching his jaw.

"Can it be broken?" Naruto's voice was uncertain.

Gaara winced and shut his eyes. "In death," he replied. "And even then it feels like your soul is ripped out as if you are the one dying. And when it is over you are alone in a way most creatures will never know was possible." His hand clenched the fabric at his chest, feeling his heart beating underneath; aware of the blood still coursing through his body despite the absence of another.

Gaara looked into the fox's eyes, glad to see the fear and the horror etched in his brow. "Is the last Uchiha worth it?"

Gaara looked at the hunter and dared him to explain himself, to justify why such extreme measures were needed. For once, the other man averted his gaze. And when Gaara swept the room, the female hunters looked unsure for once, looking at each other as they came to realize their plans were not so humanitarian as they believed.

During his speech, the wolf had tightened his hold on his packmate. Naruto soothed him by running a thumb over the back of his hand, enticing him to let go.

"I need to talk to Gaara," he said over his shoulder, not quite looking at the hunters behind him. "Privately," he added. The wolf stepped away, but he shot a warning look in Gaara's direction, his feet pacing a short invisible line.

Naruto nodded toward the bedroom and Gaara realized the fox hadn't ruled out the possibility. His chest fluttered at the thought.

Naruto paused beside him as though waiting. Gaara caught the silent meaning in the gesture and with one more look across the room, Gaara followed him into the bedroom.

A breeze came in through the shattered window, blowing in the earthy smells of the forest. Naruto closed the door behind them, locking it as though that might afford them some protection. Gaara moved to the window to gaze out into the dark woods. There were others out there, he was sure of it, but none within his sight.

"You've done it before, haven't you," Naruto said gently.

Gaara wrapped his arms around himself, attention fixed on the branches shaking in the breeze. Not trusting his voice, he gave a few quick nods.

Naruto was silent. The bed creaked behind him and Gaara could imagine him sitting, head in his hands the way he seemed to react when things were bad. Naruto didn't seem like the worst of the shifters, but he was a stranger, somewhere between reluctant ally and natural enemy. Gaara wouldn't wish a bond on either.

"Is it really so bad as all that?" he asked, a sort of hope in his voice; an indication he was struggling to accept it.

"It is with me," Gaara replied.

"But you would also feel my thoughts, wouldn't you? It wouldn't be one way."

"A bond is as stable as the minds it connects. A weak mind could be lost in their partner's madness, a mild person made violent through another's rage. The combination of both on a mind untested..." Gaara shook his head. "It would destroy us both," he said.

Naruto released a heavy sigh. The bed creaked again and when Gaara turned to look at him, the man was standing. He stepped closer, his body humming with nervous energy. It was like a buzz in the silence, an ever present noise that Gaara wished would go away.

Gaara turned back to the window, ignoring the man moving to stand beside him.

"This is the closest I've gotten to finding Sasuke in a long time. Closer than I ever thought I could. I'm not sure I can give that up now, no matter the price," he said.

Gaara shook his head. "I swore I would never bond with another creature for as long as I lived. The last Uchiha may be worth the sacrifice to you, but what is he to me? Why must I destroy myself when it would be less painful to die here now? Or would you be content to let me live? To have me forever in your thoughts, to know your deepest wants?"

Naruto looked away. As Gaara suspected, he couldn't answer. He didn't think that far. None of them ever did.

"And if I said I would?" he replied. Gaara startled. The fox was gazing off in the distance, his eyes hardened into resolve. He was thinking of something else, another promise perhaps. His straight nose tipped up toward the sky, the faint whisker like scars visible against his tan cheeks. "We agreed that we would help each other, that we would get each other out of this. I honor my promises," Naruto continued. "And if we do this, if we form a bond, I promise I'll do anything to protect it."

The speech was so neatly put together, Gaara wondered how many times he had repeated it. He thought of the dark haired boy the fox tracked down relentlessly and the bond he had cherished these ten years with an absent friend. Gaara shook his head and thought what a fool this man was.

"Please don't ask this of me," Gaara said.

Naruto's fingers dug into his shoulder. His hand was warm, his grip solid. Gaara looked down at that hand and the grip relaxed.

"I'm trying to offer you a truce here. I'm saying, you can trust me. If they're going to put us through hell then we're doing it together. I'll do whatever you ask, I'll listen to whatever you say. But please, give me this chance. I'm not afraid of you," he said. The expression in his eyes was not unkind. Gaara picked up the hand still on the shoulder, dropping it like a leaf that had landed there.

"You should be," Gaara replied. Naruto's full lips narrowed into a grim line, a line etched deeply into his brow.

"I worked through _my_ demons. I'm not afraid of meeting yours."

Gaara tipped his head back and laughed. He wondered how quickly that tune would change were he to share his past, to relive the times he spilled so much blood he came home bathed in it; or how he would squeeze the human skull to see if it popped like a melon. He reached forward with one nail, drawing a line down the fox's tan, taut neck. He paused just above the pulse leaping against the fox's skin, and pressed ever so slightly.

"And are you brave enough to bare your neck and trust I won't rip out your throat?" His eyes fixed on the other man's expression, waiting through the pause for the soon to be voiced objection. "Would you sink your teeth into my flesh and drink mine?" Blue eyes flinched ever so slightly. "If the blood is mingled, even better. An equal exchange," Gaara finished.

The fox leaned back, away from Gaara's touch. He swallowed heavily, adam's apple bobbing in his throat. He looked down at his hands and frowned.

Blue eyes fixed on him, an uncertain expression painting his face as he held out his wrist. Gaara held his breath as a single claw elongated. The fox looked at him apologetically as he dragged the nail along the tender flesh, dark blood beading in a thin line.

Gaara closed his eyes. His body breathed in the rich tang of blood, savoring the taste on his tongue. A familiar hunger flared up inside him, his fangs slipping out at the promise of a meal. Gaara grimaced and pressed his lips tight. He tried to shake himself out of it, to fight off the hunger. He stepped back, trying to physically distance himself from the blood being offered. He turned his head, hating the way his body craved it, or the way he desired nothing more than to throw himself upon the other man and press his tongue along the wound.

Gaara shook his head, closing his eyes to shut it out, to not see the dark liquid sliding to the floor.

He swallowed heavily, fingers pressed against his face to hide himself. He felt the presence of two hands before they even reached him. The scent of blood drew so near he trembled with the effort it took not to drink. The fox's touch was warm, hot almost as he pried Gaara's hands away. The energy buzzed around him like so much determination and Gaara yielded to the firm grip, breathing heavy as a mouth smeared with blood drew nearer to him.

The fox hesitated a moment, his mouth so close Gaara could almost taste him. He fought against every instinct screaming at him to drink, whispering in his ear to have a small taste.

The fox rubbed his bottom lip against Gaara's own, smearing the dark liquid across his chin. Gaara tried to recoil, to turn his face and then those painted lips fit against his own. Gaara shuddered and leaned into the touch, his tongue slipping along a soft bottom lip.

Remembering himself, he turned his face in horror, wrenching their mouths apart. But the other man pulled their bodies flush, one arm tight across his waist while the other forced his jaw.

A warm tongue snaked between his lips, filling his mouth with the coppery tang of blood. The fox had cleverly nicked his own tongue with his teeth and Gaara swallowed instinctively. He felt heady with the warmth that filled him and the power coursing through his body.

His hands came up and fingers dug into soft strands of hair as he pulled their mouths closer. His body grew hot as he had never experienced, as though he were burning up from inside. He felt like all that energy buzzing around him had been shoved into the contact between them, transferred through the blood.

He winced when something sharp nicked his tongue, the edge of a fang, he realized too late. The other man twisted his tongue around Gaara's, his throat working to swallow down the blood.

In a moment of clarity Gaara realized what the other had done. He pushed against the solid chest in front of him, panicking when the grip around his waist remained firm.

Feelings, not his own, came pouring into him; grief, fear, determination. But behind it was a strength- a warmth like sunshine on a summer afternoon- that made Gaara want to recoil. It made him want to drop down to his knees and cry. He realized that what he was feeling was love, not toward himself, but the Uchiha that had started this all.

The fox finally relented and allowed Gaara to pull away. He ran his hand across his mouth, trying to rid himself of that taste, trying to forget the intensity of feeling that even now still licked at his consciousness.

When the fox looked at him there were tears in his eyes. His face filled with such pity that Gaara wanted to lash out, to physically strike him. He hated that anyone might see him so vulnerable again.

"Don't look at me like that," he growled. The other man reached for him and Gaara stood still when the ripple of emotion passing through him wasn't pity. It was empathy.

A memory scratched at him; an empty swing beneath a tree. The fox grimaced and the image rippled as though a stone had been tossed into a pond. The image was lost, but not the lingering memory of loneliness, an ache in the pit of his stomach he had mistaken for his own.

He didn't resist when the other man gathered him into his arms, murmured a litany of apologies that meant nothing in his ear. A hand stroked his hair, but Gaara was too speechless to respond.

This was not the reaction he had expected. Shukaku had been pure destruction. He had fed off the chaos in Gaara's head. He had been the first to embrace the violence, to point at his loneliness as justification for what they had done.

Dumbstruck, Gaara felt Naruto's presence like he felt his embrace; a warmth so thick, so palpable, he could touch. A presence that soothed him, that made him almost believe it would be alright.

Gaara shook his head and shoved him away.

"This doesn't make things okay," he said. Naruto looked stung, but there was an edge of guilt in the air. Gaara shoved a wedge between them, an emotional wall fortified by his anger, by his resentment of what had just been thrust upon him.

The tender sentiments flowing toward him ceased, trickled away until there was nothing left but silence and wisps of memory floating like phantoms.

Gaara licked the edge of his mouth, cleaning off the residue of dried blood. He was in it now whether he willed it or not, with someone perhaps more reckless, more unpredictable than himself.

Love was a hazardous emotion. Gaara touched the tattoo at his forehead, reminding himself why it was there. He would not let the bond pull him under. He would drown if he did.

Naruto cleared his throat awkwardly. He rubbed the back of his neck, the locked door and the murmur of voices on the other side reminding him they were not alone. The wolves no doubt smelled the blood. The alpha-in-training, Kiba was a small maelstrom of anxiety pacing outside the door.

"I guess we should get this over with," Naruto said. Gaara refused to meet his gaze, anchoring himself against the wall when the door was unlocked.

The fox's gaze lingered and Gaara shoved at him through the bond, telling him to go away. The other man looked askance, his hand rubbing along the drying wound before turning and leaving through the open door.

Gaara shut his eyes, his finger scrambling along the window pane.

"It's done," he heard the fox announce.

Gaara dug the soft tip of his finger into a broken shard, the sudden pain sharpening his senses. He broke through the fog of emotions dulling his senses and shoved again at the bond, fortifying the divide between them.

It was the only escape left to him now.

* * *

Naruto stood at the edge of his bed and surveyed his small room. His eyes lit on the picture frame atop his dresser, his ten year old self scowling at Sasuke instead of the camera. He moved the few steps to reach it, fingers brushing along the glass.

A day ago Sasuke was just a human boy; his best friend and a good kid that bad things happened to. But now. . . Naruto paused, afraid to finish that thought. Naruto had dreamed of bringing Sasuke home, of returning to their lives together.

Naruto brought his fingers to his lips, remembering what he had done; shuddering when he remembered that hunger. The vampire had clung to him, lapped up his blood like honey and when Naruto reciprocated he understood why; he felt a thirst like no other; a compulsion to devour no matter how repulsive it seemed. He had seen the world from the other's point of view and it had shaken him in a way he didn't expect.

Naruto's fingers recoiled from the picture frame. He reached for his drawer instead, pulled out a few more pieces of clothing and tossed them onto the bed. His gaze swept the room one more time, finally landing on the small pile of items assembled on his bed; his life reduced to what could fit in a single bag.

He looked at the photo again and debated taking it out of the frame. His tongue swept the roof of his mouth, and he frowned when he thought of what he had done; the aftertaste of blood still lingering in his mouth and even now it excited him. He was unwilling to admit just how much the bond had threatened to overwhelm him or how precariously he held it at bay. It was Sasuke's smile, the memory of his laughter that provided an anchor. It reminded Naruto of who he was.

Naruto sighed and walked back to the dresser. He flipped the picture frame and pulled out the back, slipping the photo free. He tucked it into the inner pocket of his black coat, zipping up the front to keep it safe.

_It would destroy us both, _Gaara had warned.

And in some small ways it already had. With the bond came the dark emotions and the memories of a bloody past. It was everything Kakashi had warned him of and yet the vampire was not what he seemed. And as much as Naruto wanted to hate him, to revile him for what he had done to Hinata, the anger had seeped right out of him. He could hold onto it no more than a fistful of water.

"I'm a fool," Naruto berated himself, stuffing his clothes into his bag. He zipped up the top and threw it over his shoulder, trying not to think about what he had found underneath.

It didn't change things between them, he reminded himself. He had forced his suit and now the vampire would never forgive him. He would help only because Naruto had given him no other choice. He was no better than the hunters in that respect. He was using Gaara as a means to an end. What use was there in getting attached?

Naruto left the bedroom door open. His hand paused on the light switch, and he gave it one last look over his shoulder. Flipping the switch, the room was blanketed in darkness and Naruto wondered if he would ever see it again. Shaking his head, he forced himself to move forward and to think only about what lay ahead.

"You're sure you don't want backup?" Kiba asked as he leaned against the door frame. His bulky frame filled the small space, blocking Naruto's one exit from the house.

"Mom doesn't have to know, or I could send Sai."

Naruto placed a hand on the sleeve of Kiba's leather jacket. He shook his head, smiling to know his pack would still be here for him.

"Someone needs to look after Hinata," Naruto reminded him.

Kiba huffed and shook his head. He lowered his face, disappointment plain on his features.

"But if things turn sour, there's no way in hell I'm sitting back. If you need anything, anything at all, you let us know." Kiba didn't make requests. He was commanding it and Naruto nodded to show that he knew.

"Of course," Naruto grinned, punching Kiba's shoulder playfully. The young wolf moved aside and allowed Naruto to pass through the door revealing Neji who stood on the edge of the porch just a few feet away. His expression was wiped of clean of any emotion, but Naruto sensed that he was hesitating, struggling to find something to say. Naruto put a hand on Neji's shoulder and met his pale gray eyes.

"And you watch out for Kiba," Naruto grinned. "Someone needs to look after Hinata," he said conspiratorially. "Kiba may say it's a date, but sometimes he likes to..."

"Naruto!" Kiba growled. Naruto dashed out of reach, laughing.

When he looked back, Neji had caught Kiba by the scruff of his collar, the taciturn young man actually smiling.

"Stay out of trouble you guys," he yelled at them, waving a hand as he loped down the driveway. He turned past the mailbox and out onto the road when Sai stepped out of the trees. His big dark eyes flicked upward, catching the light of the moon. His lips pressed together as if he might say something, but he paused, the corners of his mouth tugging down.

Naruto pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tight even as the other wolf tensed up.

"I know, I suck at good-byes too. So we'll save it for next time, okay?" Sai hesitated before his arms came up and pat Naruto's back tentatively. "This is a see you later," Naruto said with more cheer than he felt. He released Sai and pat his shoulder affectionately. "That's okay, right?"

Sai nodded as if he agreed, his eyes expressing other sentiments. "See you later," he replied quietly.

Naruto tried to ignore the pang of anxiety these small words produced. He forced a smile and told himself it would be alright. He would get back home and bring Sasuke with him. He held onto his smile until he reached the van parked on the side of the road.

The door slid open and the blonde hunter grinned at him. She offered him a hand, but Naruto ignored it, climbing in and sliding into a seat beside her.

His eyes glanced furtively at Gaara, who sat quietly in the row behind him. The vampire's attention was fixed elsewhere, his gaze unblinking as it stared out the window.

"Took you long enough," the girl teased. She slammed the door shut and slid back into her seat, pulling the strap of her seat belt over her chest. "We're good to go," she yelled to the driver.

Kakashi turned the key in the ignition and the engine hummed to life. Naruto tugged on his seat belt his attention drawn to the reflection in driver's mirror. Sakura's pink hair flew out in tufts, her mouth tugging down in a way not too unlike Sai's just minutes before. Her green eyes met his in the glass, lingering for a moment before turning away.

The car lurched forward, and Naruto redirected his attention to look out the tinted windows. The forest surrounding them blurred before him, fading into pitch black as the light left them. The reflection from female hunter's ipod was visible in the reflection, casting his own face in a ghastly blue hue. His eyes shifted to the reflection of a pale face, a bright red tattoo painted above startling green eyes.

The vampire noticed his look and Naruto glanced away, haunted again by what he had seen through their bond.

He released a breath and said a silent prayer for everything he was leaving behind. Leaning his head against the glass, he looked up at the moon and felt exhaustion seep into every part of him. He wondered if he was strong enough to face the road ahead.


	5. Dreams

Author's Note: I meant to update this sooner, but life, simply put, has been crazy. I suspect that won't change anytime soon either. _ So thanking you all in advance for being patient with me. I'm aiming to update once a month, but we will see how that works out... Enjoy chapter 5!

* * *

Hunger 05

_Dreams_

* * *

A child no more than seven peered at him with a mischievous smile on his lips. The look in his golden eyes was too mature, too full of malice to fit the cherubic curve of his round cheeks. A single finger was in his mouth, his skin caked with red that looked too dark to be syrup or paint.

"You've been playing naughty," Naruto's voice sounded in his own ears. Only it wasn't his voice. It was deeper, more grating. The child's laughter bubbled out of his throat, his wide open mouth revealing small pearly teeth and a tongue coated a dark red. He pulled his hand behind his back and it became obvious that he was hiding something, an item small enough to fit in his childish paws.

"Daddy was being naughty. Such a bad daddy," he tilted his head, his straight brown locks wafting a little in the still air. A pale hand emerged in front of him, open and demanding.

The child pouted and turned his shoulder in the opposite direction. "I only did it because daddy wouldn't pay attention. He wouldn't look at me, no matter how naughty I was."

The grown up hand gestured forward, demanding the prize kept tight behind the child's back.

"And you punished him, I presume?" the flat voice responded.

The child grinned again and held out his small hand. His fingers curled open while a proud smile split across his face. A pair of blue eyes were cradled in his grubby palms. "I made daddy look!" the child chirped gleefully. "Now he has to look whenever I say."

The face rippled as it filled out, shifting into something older. A familiar jaw line appeared, a tuft of red hair. A red tattoo blazed against pale skin on the wrong side.

"Here, catch," a deeper voice jeered, tossing the eyes into the air like twin marbles. Naruto's fingers stretched into the air.

Naruto startled, his head turning and his eyes cringing against the afternoon light. Even with the windows tinted, he could feel the warmth pressing against him. He turned to look around the van.

"Morning, sunshine," the blonde hunter teased. "Sleep well?" she winked.

Naruto murmured sleepily, digging the palm of his heels into his eyes and tried not to see the nightmare still waiting for him behind his eyelids.

He turned to look behind him. The vampire was still curled up, his head cradled on his arm as he leaned against the window. He had placed his jacket there to help block out the light, the edges curled over the top of his head. He looked like a boy, just a regular teenager sleeping in the back of the car.

Naruto shook his head and turned his attention to the blurred scenery outside the car window. He wondered where they were and when he turned to ask the driver he noted Kakashi was sitting in the passenger seat now, grinning at him over his shoulder. A tuft of pink hair stuck out from the driver's head rest.

Kakashi held out an energy bar, waving it slightly. Naruto shook his head.

The car trundled down a slightly bumpy road. Kakashi shrugged and unwrapped the energy bar himself. He turned away and from the new angle, it was impossible to see his face. The older hunter tugged down his mask and finished off the energy bar in two bites. He tugged his mask back up before he even finished chewing.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked.

"Headquarters," Kakashi mumbled between chewing. There was an awkward pause as he tried to chew more quickly and swallow down the lump pressed against his cheek. "We've got a temp setup and a skeleton crew working on this mission. We'll tell you more when we get there. Just relax for now," he said.

Naruto huffed and looked out the window. He stretched out his legs carefully, extending his foot as far as he could before running into the back of the driver's chair. He felt stiff and his neck muscles twinged and he wanted nothing more than to shed his clothes and his skin and run outside.

A pang of anxiety had gripped him and for a moment he mistook it for homesickness. He wondered if he had made the wrong decision and fear crept into his heart. He grimaced as the emotions only intensified, feeling like a kid that was fighting against his change for the first time. His heart began pounding and his body hummed with nervous energy. For a moment he panicked and thought he would change right there, in the middle of the van. The vampire murmured something in his sleep and with a start, Naruto remembered the bond.

Forcing a deep breath into his lungs, Naruto shut his eyes and thought of everything that made him calm. He imagined home, sitting at Kiba's kitchen table with a cup ramen in his hands; running through the forest, the dappled sunshine hitting his fur and a splash of cool water against his legs. He pictured these things over and over, shoving down his energy to where it belonged. Slowly the anxiety receded and Naruto's pulse grew steady as a drum.

When he opened his eyes the female hunter was watching him curiously. She licked her lips, words just at the tip of her tongue before thinking better of it. She offered a smile instead.

Naruto returned it before shifting his attention to his own reflection in the windows. He pressed himself against the warmth of the glass and wrapped his arms around himself as though he might be cold; as though that might be responsible for the slight shuddering in his limbs.

* * *

Gaara twirled the bloody pair of eyeballs in his hand. Shukaku grinned at him with his own maniac smile, his own twisted face reflected back at him.

"Where is daddy now?" Gaara prompted, wary of Shukaku's unpredictable shifts.

An impish smile greeted him. "Eating dinner," he punctuated too carefully. Gaara narrowed his eyes and given the childlike appearance, he suspected dinner was something out of the ordinary.

"I thought it would be fun to play act the bed time story he read to me. My favorite one," he grinned.

Gaara twirled the eyes in his palm. "Show me," he said, setting the orbs back in Shukaku's hands. His doppelganger took off with glee and Gaara followed him, through the door that shifted and waved while the colors blurred around him.

A table came into focus, covered in muck and spare parts. A man ate with his bare fingers, gulping down the scorched flesh of the child set down on the porcelain plate in front of him. He had been starved for some time, his cheeks sallow beneath the streams of dried blood. His eyesockets were mere dark holes, small caverns that leaked red.

A pair of eyes had been set in jelly. Dessert, he presumed as Gaara strode right up to the man. "It will be over soon," he whispered turning the man's head to bare his neck.

The man stifled a sob, his pulse leaping against his neck with mingled fear and hope. Shukaku screamed a protest, his body launching forward as Gaara's fangs pressed against yielding flesh.

His mouth filled with blood and yet he took no pleasure in it. It was like lapping up leftovers or cleaning off the plate of a petulant child who refuses to eat his peas. Once upon a time he had found these daddy games entertaining, but not now and not when Shukaku insisted on making him clean up the mess.

The man had been too weak to even struggle. His fingers pawed the dirty table cloth, his limbs weakening with the beat of his heart. Gaara waited for the blood to slow, for the heart to grow silent and still. Another night, another victim, he thought. And when would it end?

The man faded into nothing and when Gaara pulled away a girl sat in his place. Her hair sat in blonde ringlets that just brushed her bare shoulders. A feathered mask obscured the upper half of her face and only hazel eyes looked out absently at him.

Gaara touched his fingers to his lips. An aftertaste lingered on the back of his tongue as though he had just fed from her. She had been dosed with something, something delicious that even now, made him want to drink more. Gaara's fingers tightened on the blonde wig. She made no protest as he yanked her head sideways, no murmur of protest as his teeth scraped her unbroken flesh.

His teeth sank and her blood was like a burst of honey, warm and sweet as it washed over his tongue. He dug his teeth in deeper, tearing the flesh so that her life would spill out faster.

"She's such a good little doll, isn't she?" Shukaku began. He wore Gaara's face, though his clothes had changed from a child's to a sharp suit. "When I invited her inside she was only too delighted. Anything for Gaara-sama," he raised the pitch of his voice.

Gaara paused and pulled his mouth away. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, looking at the smeared blood suspiciously.

"I didn't have to do anything! She even brought the drugs herself. I suppose it's easy for a shop girl when mommy and daddy own the pharmacy."

Gaara felt his stomach drop. He looked again at the girl he hardly recognized, noticing the tuft of brown hair poking out from beneath the blonde wig. He tugged one curl until it came sliding off, releasing short brown locks that tumbled down to her shoulders.

Gaara sank to his knees and heaved, his mouth opening into a gag. He wanted to rid himself of everything he had stolen, every drop he had drained from her body.

But his traitorous body held onto it. He dry heaved until Shukaku's fingers slid along his back. The monster climbed down onto his knees and pulled Gaara against his chest. "Now that she's gone it can be just the two of us again. No one to stop us and get in the way of our fun." A kiss was pressed to the back of his neck and all Gaara could see was red.

Blood seemed to be everywhere. The blood he had consumed or spilled unnecessarily. The blood he had allowed Shukaku to shed in the name of fun. It covered the floor and rose around him, dragging the girl's lifeless body down. He reached for her, but it was Shukaku's hand stopping him, pulling him away. For a moment life seemed to flicker back in her eyes and when she looked at him there was no compassion left. Not for him.

Gaara screamed as he watched her drift away. The blood rose like a river, tugging him away, threatening to sweep him in the other direction. He thought he would go mad when suddenly it stopped. The arms wrapped around him shifted. They grew warm and gentle and when he turned around Gaara was five years old again and Yashamaru's face was smiling at him.

* * *

"Headquarters" seemed to be nothing more than an abandoned warehouse in an industrial part of town. There was no one for miles around and save the barbed wire curling around a tall picket fence, Naruto noticed nothing special about the security surrounding the concrete block they parked in front of.

The van door slid open and Naruto unfastened his seat belt, impatient to get outside and feel the sunlight on his skin. The vampire behind him slept on, seemingly unaware that the motor had been cut or that people were moving around him. But when he turned to shake his knee, pale eyes slid open, warning him not to.

"Home sweet home," the blonde sing songed and Naruto turned to smile at her. She slid out of the van and Naruto followed after her, his sneakers crunching on the loose gravel.

He stretched like he had never stretched before. Unaccustomed to long periods of inactivity, his legs ached from being cramped in such a small space. He took off his long sleeve jacket, sticking his arms out to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin.

"Not used to road trips, are you?" the female hunter asked. Naruto shook his head. She began walking toward the large building in front of them and Naruto followed her without question. He glanced over his shoulder at the van where the brunette hunter was still inside. She was hunched over the vampire from what he could tell and judging by a feeling in his limbs, a heaviness that seemed to affect his entire body, he assumed she was administering some sort of drug. Not that the Gaara needed it. He felt drowsy enough just from his night or poor sleep and for a vampire to be up during the day it was worse.

Kakashi overtook them just as they reached the door. He fiddled with what appeared to be a simple side panel. His fingers moved around it carefully until he found a latch and pulled off the facade. Underneath was a more sophisticated looking panel, replacing a simple key pad with a touch screen and scanner. Kakashi lifted his eye patch just as he bent over and placed it to the lens. He pressed his thumb against the touch pad and Naruto watched as something flared into motion. Some sort of mechanism had been triggered, metal sliding and grinding into place. A simple click sounded and the female hunter reached for the knob, pushing the door in.

"After you," she waved like a gentleman escorting a lady. Naruto's mouth twisted as he stepped inside.

There were crates stacked everywhere. The first thing he saw was a wall of them as though they were waiting for shipment or had just been dumped at the door. It was hard to tell really whether they were coming or going and he supposed that was the point.

Looking up, the warehouse seemed large. The lighting was dim, dark mostly were it not for the light that filtered in from a few skylights. The hunter walked around the wall of crates and Naruto followed, his path illuminated by the glow of a few desk lamps triangulated around a large table covered in monitors. A young man sat in a computer chair, his back turned to them while he observed the area outside the warehouse on his many screens. Sakura was there, helping the brunette hunter drag in Gaara. Kakashi waited for them at the door.

His gaze shifted to the other screens, to faces and places he didn't know.

"Shino, we're home!" the girl announced loudly. "Did you miss us?" she asked, walking over to the desk and picking up a bag of crackers. She stuffed a few into her mouth without asking. Shino turned and regarded her silently. He wore sunglasses, which Naruto found odd, given that they were inside a dimly lit building. The collar of his jacket was high, covering his mouth so that only his nose was visible.

"Those are Chouji's," he said in a deep, monotone voice. The girl lowered the hand holding more crackers. She grimaced as she looked at the side panel of the box.

Naruto approached them warily. The young man, Shino, turned in his chair to regard him. "This is the target?" he asked, never moving his attention away from Naruto.

The girl shook her head. "Naw, Tenten is dragging him in. They've got him doped up on something or other. Probably more dead man's blood," she said flippantly. Naruto cringed as she said it. It explained why his body felt sluggish. He tried to imagine running from them when his body wanted to curl up on the floor. They had said he was strong.

"So who are you?" Shino asked.

"His name is Naruto, our new recruit," Kakashi's voice piped up behind him. Naruto leaped, wondering how the hunter had crept up on him. He should have heard his footfalls or detected his smell and Naruto frowned when it occurred to him that the bond might affect his senses.

Kakashi strode forward and pulled out an empty chair. "Put him down here," he said. Naruto turned and moved out of the way as both Sakura and Tenten supported Gaara on either side. The vampire looked chalky white in the dim lighting, his expression drawn. He practically sank into the chair when they released him, his chin resting against his chest.

"You poisoned him again," Naruto said bluntly.

"Safety precaution," Kakashi replied swiftly. "The feeding and the rest gave him a little more strength than I'm comfortable with. This is so he can't destroy anyone or anything while he's here."

Kakashi paused as though he was waiting for further challenge, but Naruto knew better than to press him. He shifted his attention to the guy in the glasses he assumed was watching the exchange, though Naruto honestly couldn't tell.

"Shino, get Naruto here something to eat. The rest of you, go get some sleep. I'll handle the debriefing."

Shino rose wordlessly and disappeared behind another crate. The girls all looked to Kakashi, a few glancing at Naruto as they nodded and disappeared in another direction. They slipped behind a row of shelves, their hushed whispers echoing slightly.

Kakashi waited for their voices to grow a bit fainter before gesturing to Shino's empty seat.

Naruto accepted it reluctantly.

He was quiet as he regarded the vampire still slumped in the chair. His eyes were closed as though he had drifted back to sleep.

"Look, Naruto," Kakashi started off carefully. "I think you and I got off on the wrong foot. What happened to your friend..." he paused. "It shouldn't have happened, and I'm sorry. He slipped our grasp and we lost a day trying to pick up his trail."

Naruto lowered his gaze, thinking of Hinata in the hospital. The vampire had explained himself and that he had been driven to desperation. It wasn't an excuse he realized, and the hunters hadn't meant for anyone to get hurt. Naruto wanted to be angry at all of them and yet he couldn't, because it wasn't as simple as that.

"If you're wondering why I've dosed him again it's because he's fed on your friend, and you. Supernatural blood is powerful. You heal faster than normal humans, right?" Naruto nodded his head. He looked up at the vampire, remembering the rush of power he felt when their blood mingled. "That was to Gaara's benefit. And right now my team is exhausted. My girls can't fight a master vampire in their condition and I will do anything- I repeat, _anything_- to protect them."

Naruto nodded again. He knew the feeling. Given that he had made himself an enemy of the vampire, he could see the wisdom in Kakashi's decision, whatever his moral qualms.

"So now that we've got that out of the way, we can get down to business."

Naruto perked up. He glanced cautiously at the vampire, but Kakashi didn't seem concerned.

"Naruto, we've been keeping tabs on the Uchihas longer than you've been alive. There were... incidents well before the massacre. Members of the house going missing, hunters walking into a hunt and never coming out. We could never figure out where they were going. There were never any bodies to be found. These incidents were always so isolated we could only explain them away as hazards of the trade."

Kakashi's fingers gravitated to his necklace. Naruto thought of the Uchiha crest, the one that had belonged to a hunting partner.

"Inuzuka's land was supposed to be a refuge. And for a long time nothing happened. They were safe and we got so fixated on solving the mysteries elsewhere, we failed to notice when Orochimaru snuck in. It shouldn't have happened and we've been trying to make up for it ever since."

"You think the disappearances are connected to Orochimaru?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi shrugged, lifting his empty palms. "It's not certain. The massacre that took place seemed to have a different agenda. From what we've pieced together, Orochimaru was trying to befriend someone in the clan. Namely, Itachi."

Naruto frowned, recalling the older boy in the photo he kept in his wallet. Itachi had always seemed like a good older brother. Sasuke had always adored him. And true, he had been spending time with the creepy older man at the time, but he had always talked about lessons of some sort and the two boys had never investigated much further.

"You know something," Kakashi stated. Naruto startled and shook his head.

"At the time, Itachi mentioned something about Orochimaru teaching him things, out in the forest. Sasuke always begged to go along, but his brother was strict about not allowing him to. He kept telling Sasuke that it wasn't for little kids and made us go play elsewhere."

"Did Orochimaru ever see you up close?"

Naruto shook his head. "I was never comfortable around him so I kept my distance. He always smelled funny to me, though I could never place it. I only saw him from a distance and would hear Sasuke's complaints."

"So you never exchanged words," Kakashi continued. Naruto shook his head. "That's good," he leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "It makes our job a lot easier. It means there is no one in the vampire world who can connect you with Sasuke."

"Do you really know where he is?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, but we managed to find Itachi." Naruto startled. "And if Sasuke hasn't given up on his mission to find his brother, my guess is if we keep an eye on Itachi, Sasuke is sure to surface."

"How?" Naruto asked, shaking his head. "I thought Itachi..."

"Died?" Kakashi supplied. "He did in a way, if you consider conversion to vampirism a form of dying."

Naruto recoiled. "So then Orochimaru's goal. . ."

"Was to bring Itachi over. Given that he was estimated to be a genius, and the most promising member of the clan, it makes sense that Orochimaru would target him. It's no secret that Orochimaru has been converting new members to his group, mostly against the wishes of the council. What they don't know is that one of them is an Uchiha. It's his best kept secret at the moment and not one we're planning to let spill. If Itachi is outed, then Sasuke won't be far behind him. We need that secret kept."

Kakashi shot a look at the sleeping vampire. But Gaara didn't stir or make any comment and after a considerable pause, Kakashi resumed.

"Itachi is working with the resistance, against the pure bloods and their loyal followers. For a non-pure blood, he shows surprising levels of power. I have my theories about that, but for now, that's not the problem."

"Then what is?" Naruto asked. Kakashi stood up and moved over to the computer. Naruto shifted out of his way and the hunter bent over and tapped out a password. A window popped up on the far right screen, the cursor hovering over a folder titled "Akatsuki Project."

A screencap appeared featuring two men in profile. Naruto recognized one of them.

"Itachi," he breathed. He still looked 17 and not a day older, his hair still the same raven black. His eyes were crimson in the camera glare.

"That's not red eye," Kakashi said, as though reading his thoughts. "No manner of photo correction will change that. His eye color changed permanently. But that's not what we're discussing. Look at the man next to him."

Naruto's eye was drawn to the tall man standing besides Itachi. His skin was tinted blue, jagged lines were sharp against his cheek as though he had sliced his own skin to look like a fish's gills. Even his hair was a deep blue and Naruto wondered at the bizarre alterations.

"None of that is faked," Kakashi said. "We've run numerous reconnaissance missions and the photos are consistent. Some research into the matter traces him back to a rare supernatural breed. A two-natured, like you."

Naruto shuddered. "He can't be converted. It's not possible," Naruto said. Kakashi shook his head.

"It's an even bigger freak of nature than he already is. But given that he exists, my only conclusion is that Orochimaru is experimenting. He's been known to conduct tests on live subjects before. He has always been interested in why the converted never seem to last or why their strength and powers are so inferior. It could be that he has finally discovered a cure."

"But it shouldn't work on other supernaturals," Naruto protested. He felt cold inside at the thought.

"I know," Kakashi agreed. "It's been the law of the supernatural world that the two cannot mix. Always for scientific reasons. They cannot cross breeds and they cannot convert one another. I always imagined this was mother nature protecting some type of natural order. It's why vampires love supernatural pets. All the blood play they want and no fear of conversion."

Naruto cringed, reminded of his exchange less than 24 hours ago.

"But now it's possible," Naruto said.

"So it seems," Kakashi said. The two men lapsed into silence as they considered this.

"This is why you want me," Naruto startled. "You want Gaara to parade me around so Orochimaru comes after me," he said.

Kakashi shrugged. "It may work better than trying to ransom Gaara. Anyone who tries to bargain for you will need to bring something serious to the table, something incredibly rare. If Gaara lets on that he's heard rumor of a living Uchiha, plays it off as a fool's errand and that this is his only listing price, Orochimaru might make it happen. He already has an Uchiha in his ranks."

Naruto paused and considered this. It was true that Itachi had always been hailed as the more talented of the brothers. It had always rankled with Sasuke who complained about it constantly. Given a choice between the last human Uchiha and the last were-fox, it was clear who would prove more useful in Orochimaru's army.

"It's a sound plan," Naruto admitted. "But what's to stop them from kidnapping me outright?"

Kakashi smirked. "You'll be in the council's stronghold. Better security than the secret service. It's why sneaking my spies in there is so damn hard. And if they miraculously sneak you out, you'll have us to back you up on the outside. And your pack too, of course. I don't think I could keep them away if I wanted to." Kakashi snorted and pointed at one of the surveillance screens where Sai's nose was magnified many times. He pulled back and turned to Kiba who stood beside him.

Naruto smiled. He wondered how he hadn't noticed them following their van. But that was his pack. They were pros. "You want me to talk to them?" Naruto asked.

"If you would be so kind."

Naruto stood and began walking toward the door they had entered. He looked forward to another opportunity to take in the fresh air and not be locked up inside metal and concrete. He paused and turned to look back at Kakashi, a request at the tip of his tongue. Kakashi lifted his brow, prompting to get it out and Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"Since I'm going to be out there... outside that is, would it be a problem if I shifted? I'm not used to being cooped up and. . . they might feel more at ease that way. If I can show them that I'm okay, that I'm not a prisoner..."

Kakashi waved his hand. Just stay within the fence. We don't have surveillance beyond that so we can't help you if something happens." He nodded in the direction the girls had disappeared in. Naruto nodded his understanding.

"Thanks," he said.

* * *

Gaara was dreaming again. He could tell because Shukaku was alive. The shifter had donned his face again, lured in a few girls with promises of a good time. Gaara refused to take place in the festivities. He knew what would come next; the drinks, the drugs, the rough play in the bedroom- forced if necessary- while Gaara watched. Shukaku's desires would swirl inside him- always that depraved need to hurt and control- that he would use to cement the bond between them.

And Gaara would waver and push back; a constant tug-o-war while he kept his feet planted and held strong until the blood began to flow.

And while he stood at the edge of his indecision he was struck with these realizations: Shukaku wasn't alive, this was just a dream, and he didn't have to play anymore.

And so while Shukaku's attention was elsewhere, Gaara turned on his heel and moved in the opposite direction. He didn't know what he was walking to, but it this direction there was something warm and soothing and reminded him of words like "safety" and "comfort;" things he used to believe in like Santa Clause.

He could sense Shukaku's distress behind him. He could feel the last vestiges of his consciousness screaming to be heard or simply acknowledged. Gaara rolled his neck and shook him off like his skin. He could feel it peeling away from him, his bones humming in their transformation.

He dropped to his knees and his hands darted out before him, the palms of his flesh hitting the ground as he sprang out on all fours. Cool air brushed against his skin and something akin to laughter bubbled in his throat. The sunlight was warm on his skin, filling him with a sense of energy he hadn't felt in years.

Gaara continued to run and his legs pumped out faster, gaining speed along the unknown terrain. There was an inexplicable joy in it, a freedom that set his heart pounding.

Shortly after, it became clear that others were present. Though he couldn't see them, he could feel their energy humming around him. He felt no fear, only a sense of mischief and not the kind that intended harm. A game of tag ensued and Gaara tried to catch his breath as he was knocked over. He wanted to laugh as he climbed back to his feet in pursuit of his attacker.

There was a playful nip at his heels, a wolf's croon taunting him. A scent filled his nose that was so powerfully familiar.

That was when he realized he wasn't dreaming. Alarms were ringing in his head as he pushed back against it, trying to extricate himself from these feelings. But there was an overwhelming desire to succumb, an invisible hand beckoning him to join. It would have been so easy to go along.

His own consciousness flooded him and Gaara struggled against the pull, his eyes fluttering open with a gasp.

Crates and boxes came into focus and a young man illuminated by computer screens. Gaara said nothing as his gaze shifted to the monitor; two wolves and a fox, a moving tangle at the edge of the screen.

Inwardly, Gaara shuddered. Even now he could feel their licks and nips, their claws, barely raking his limbs. Only a day and he had been pulled completely under.

The fox wasn't even aware he was doing it. His power and the sheer intensity of his emotions had slipped past the weakened divide between them.

Gaara's own words came rushing back to him. He had predicted the bond would destroy them. And now that he had tasted the shifter's power it was only a question of how soon.


End file.
